Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-26
EvoIutIon of the Rntea am.

Evolution. OF the Rates BIZ.
Since the exciting days Of war and
reconstruction, no moro interesting legis-
lativo subject has been before Congress
than tho Hepburn Railroad Rates bill
which, it is expected, will be reported
to the Senate today, by the committee
on interstate commerce, in exactly the
form IN which it came from the House Of
Representative. Il will be reported
without amendment or recommendation,
and all members Of the Senate, including
the members of tho committee, will be
free to propose changes and also vote as
they please on the final passage of the
measure. Also, by vote of the com
mittcc, senator 1llman Of South Caro-
lima was instructed TO present tho report
and take charge Of the bill during It's con-
Eideation by the Senate.
Thus, the Hepburn bill becomes more
than an administration measure. 10 be-
comes "a purely Democratic measure. For
the committee report was secured by the
votes of five Democrats and two Repub-
licans. against the votes of FIVE Repub-
licans Had the Republican members
of the committee on interstate commerce
been united, they could have kept the
measure in Republican hands.
The peculiar situation thus presented
Is the natural result of tho attitude Of
President Roosevelt, which, though
marked by much wobbling and changing
Of mind finally settled down to an insist
enee upon the enactment of the Hepburn
bin as il was passed by the House, with
ont oven an amendment giving the courts
the right TO review, on appeal, any rates
fixed by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. This was really the only point
of difference between the Republican
Senators and the President Rates legis-
lation was not held by the former TO be
objectionable with the right of appeal
90 the courts but the President, after
agreeing to this amendment, suddenly
changed back to his original position,
thus leaving his friend Senator Knox,
who had prepared a new bill covering
the proposed amendment, and who was
presumed TO have done this with the
Presidents sanction, foundering in the
mire OF Presidential instability.
In view Of the prevailing situation. IL
is hard to sec how an open breach between
Republican senators and the President
can be avoided With infinite care and
patience the Republican leaders had been
endeavoring to avoid a quarrel and II
was supposed that smooth water had
been reached in an agreement to simply
amend the bin by providing for the court
review. But the coup by the Democrat.
in securing a report upon the bill without
amendment, against the OPPOSITION Of 8
majority of the Republican members oI
the committee, has made it practically
impossible for Republican Senators who
are committed TO the proposed amend
ment to support the bill in its present
shape.
The eight Senators who voted to report
the bill without amendment were Cullum
Clapp and Dolliver, Republicans, ans
lillman, Mciaurin, CaunacS, Foster ane
Nowlands, Democrats The five Ropub
hcans who opposed this action were AID
rich, Elkins, Kean, Foraker and Crane
Mr.. Aldnch is the Republican leader o
the Senate, and IL was upon his motion
that Senator lillman was selected {,
present the report TO tho Senate and tax,
charge Of the bin in that body. Tha
this was an act Of open hostility on th
part Of Senator Aldrioh cannot be doubted
ns lillman is not only bitterly hostile I,
President Roosevelt. but has attacke,
him rieiously upon more than one occa
SION in bis speeches in the Senate. Thus
lhc spectacle is afforded Of the President
pet measure being placed in the charg
Of bis bitter and vindictivepoli enemy
Moreover Tillman favors the Rates hi
on the ground that it is a purely Demo
cratic measure, and that he will urge it
adoption by the Senate mainly upon thi
consideration is practically certain.
Thus, the President will find his pe
measure laid before the Republican Senat
as q Democratic measure and the fieh
for It's enactment led by a Democrat
senator. Well may Republican Senator
refuse 10 support it under such condition.
And the character of the opposition
such that if the bin is passed in its presen
shape il viii be due entirely 70 Demo
cratic support Aud this viii be a prac
tical fopudiation OF the President bv IN
representative Of his party in the Senate