The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-28
HOUSE UNITY On
He PBURFN's BILL
AUGURs SUCCESS
Railroad Senators Taken
Aback by Rate Laws
Chances Of Passage.
Two Weeks of Debate Are
Expected, Then the :
Roll Call. 49,
Dolliver Serves Notice on
Foes of the Measure in
Upper House.
Senate Is Expected to Yield
and Accept the House
II. Bill.
Doom of Obstructive Pro-
gram Is Seen in Plans
Doom of Obstructive Pro-
gram Is Seen in Plans
of Representatives.
By w. w. Jermane.


wv ? ASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-The
wv Hepburn rate bill is likely to
be reported to the house on
Monday morning. There is no chance
that any member Of the committee will
break the unanimous-report agreement
that has been made. Yesterday, dur
ing the committee meeting, Chairman
Hepburn had the roll called on the
favorable report Of his bill. A record
was kept of the result, and the fact
that every member of the committee
is now committed officially to the bill
is playing havoc with the plans of GER
tain senators to obstruct progress and
prevent satisfactory legislation.
The opposition senators will be fur
ther handicapped by the fact that the
bill will be considered in the house
without any rule. It will be wide
open discussion, with every opportuni-
ty to offer amendments. This is a most
unusual situation, and has not hap
pened on any important bill in con-
gress for many years. 1t simply serves
to emphasize the bipartisan character
of the rate situation in the house, and
will help focus public sentiment on the
senate.
AZ. Debate for Two Weeks.
It has been generally agreed among
the leaders on both sides that the gen
eral debate in the house will last for
perhaps a week.
Then the bill will be taken up, Sec
ton by section, for further discussion
and for the purpose of permitting the
offering of amendments. This will con-
sumo perhaps another week, and then
the bill will be placed on final passage
There may be few members who
will vote against it, but thus far nc
signs of hostility have appeared. Or
final passage there will be rollcall, sc
that members may 60 on record.
ID Of course it is not the plan to have
the house accept any Of the proposed
amendments. Both democratic and re-
publican leaders assent to this.
Situation in the Senate.
In the senate the rate shoe is now
on the other foot. Up to the time wher
the house committee took the unani
nous action above retired to, Senator
Dolliver, Senator Clapp and other re
publican members of the senate com
mittee who favor the administrator
plan, were walking the floor and won
dering what was going to happen.
Now the walking of the floor is be
ing done by Senators Elkins. Gormar
Foraker, Kean and Aldrich. There hav
been frequent conferences during tn
present week between these worthi
and it is apparent that they regard tn
house situation with genuine alarm
That situation has knocked into
cooked hat Germans plan to fight tn
bill from the ambush of partizan pol
tics He must now come out into tn
open against the bill, and this he ha
done. e. -..- r
Warned by Dolliver.
Senator Dolliver met several of tn
senators just named yesterday in on
of the capitol committee rooms, an
after there had been a general int
change of views, he said:
t.Well, you now see what it is thu
we are going to stand for. We sha
give you the Hepburn bill as it wi
pass the house. That is the bill tn;
the president wants, that the dem
: cratic party wants, that the rank ar
file Of republicans want, and that,
short, the entire country wants. If W
don It like that bill, you may amend it..
And as he said these words, Dol
yer smiled broad smile: His hssa
ers tried to smile back, but the effo
wasn't a bowling success. And so tt
railroad senators are now taking the
turn at .foor-walking, and they don
like it one bit.
Must Pass House Bill.
The opinion is growing that the Sc
ate must pass substantially the, hou
bill. IF it were to pass instead the b
Il