The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-21
.G0RMAN Schemes
BLOCK IN sE:AAI|'E| !.
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Hepburn pointed out Jha6 tno Woiu nav
stood the test Of the courts for twenty |
years, and all lawyers knew what 1t
meant as applied to railroad rates.
BY accepting the suggestion OF the
democrats, which was to omit that word
from the bill, and substitute certain
phraseology which they claimed would |
mean the same thing, Hepburn declared
that the way was being paved for ten
to fifteen years of litigation, provided
the bill as thus amended were to be-
come law.
Further Changes.
stBut suppose that we were to accept
the suggestion, and strike out that
word, what then7'' he asked. The dem
,ocrats of the committee replied that il
that suggestion were accepted they
would then offer other amendments.
Pressed for a disclosure Of their nature,
they replied that they would offer some
thing regarding the long and short haul.
Pressed further, they said that they
wanted the rate as fixed by the COM
mission to be rigid rate, with the
power in the commission or in the rail
roads ever to raise it. They also want
ed, in fact, minimum rate, or power
over differentials.
Saw Thru the Scheme.
After the democrats, under the stress
Of close questioning, had disclosed their
position, Chairman Hepburn and the
other republican members Of the COM
mittee indulged in loud guffaw. They
saw the democratic point at once. Real
A., LoJ ont tho
democrats joined in the laugh. The
whole affair was good natured, but it
demonstrated that it was the purpose
Of the democrats in the house to
Jockey" with the rate question, and
while in reality trying to prevent legis-
! lation, so to shape their course as to
appear froendly to it. This is an old
dodge in congress, and one would think
that the people would by this time be
so wise as to prevent its further use;
but they are not wise, and the trick, if
repeated now, will defeat proper legis-
lation, and at the same time apparently
put responsibility for that defeat solely
upon the republicans.
For purposes Of democratic strategy
this may be important, but it will be
hard on the country as a whole, for
democrats as well as republicans are
interested in the enactment of proper
rate legislation, and will continue ito
suffer in their business if it should fail.
But high considerations Of this kind
count for very little when campaigns
year is at hand, with it's inevitable
struggle for congressional supremacy.
Hepburn Bill VIII Pass. T.
The Hepburn bill will pass the house
with majority perhaps larger than
that given the Esch-Townsend bill of
year ago. It will go to the senate,
and there it will be the basis for an
administration bill that will be reported
to that body. i
There are not enough republicans in
the senate who are favorable to rate
legislation to pass the administration
bill. It will therefore be necessary to
have democratic help. This help Mr..
German purposes withholding thru
blockade. .s rs
Aldrich VS.. Roosevelt.
A few weeks ago Senator Aldricl
called upon the president to see il
some compromise agreement could not
be reached as to the rate question
When he was pressed for his compro
mise position, the senator disclosed thai
he was standing for the proposition t,
have all rates named by the interstat.
commerce commission subject to appea
to the courts, which is the po1tio1
taken by Senators Elkins and Foraker
The president, Of course, could accep
no such offer, and after there had bee
a full and free discussion, he frankl,
said so.
This was the beginning Of the cam
palgn against the president, whicl
reached its height this week. Shortl
after Senator Aldrich returned to tn
senate chamber, there seems to hav
( been conference for the purpose o
seeing if there It something tina
could be dug up that would annoy ii
president. Presently it was discov
cred that the newly appointed cana
commissioners had been confrme
without their names having first gon
to the proper senate committee for il
vestigation. It was purely technica
ity, but it was taken advantage o.
The confirmation was reconsidered, tn
names held up, and at the same tim
there was a tempest in a teapot abor
Ouo VI Guo commissioners, D
cause he had been acting as press ager
for the commission.
This was the first overt act of, no
tility to the president after congre.
had reconvened on Jan. 4. It was fo
lowed in due time by others. The1
was a disposition to attack the gener
policy Of the canal commission, and |
raise as much of a racket as possible.
House Members Joined.
While this matter was being parade
before the public, the house Of repr
sentatives got busy. Statehood a
sumed Importance there, and so d
Philippine tariff bill. Insurgents amor
the republican members were developt
and the opposing forces undertook
combine for the purpose Of defeati1
both measures. The Philippine bill b
since gone thru the house, as ever
body knew it would do, and while ii
chances for statehood are not owe
bright, the house organization, viii,
represents the president, is standil
pat and saying that it has enous
votes to pass that bill also.
While the insurgent movement was
It's height, and the columns Of t
anti administration press were bel
filed with articles intended to encor
age those forces and discredit t
president, the case of Mrs. Min
Morris came to the, front. Her eie,
anent from the executive Offices caus