The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-07-05
EXTENSION or FEDERAL POWERS
Railway Rate Bill One OF the
Most important Before
the Congress.
Meat Inspection Amendment 60 the
Agricultural Appropriation Bili
New star Added to
che Flag.

Probably more new AMI cN;rdoal'-
Iary questions were under consider.
alton 10y the congress which began IT,
legislative Hfc Dec last. than T.,
any prcvlous session VI our national
lawmakng body. Not counting ti'c
many acts favorably reported IN ~
passed hy either branch aud lori lu
state OF suspended animation. 'Ic'r
fate 10 he determined 10y the ucN; sos
sion. the amount aud character Of new
laws enacted makes the Fifty Niuth
congress the milestone Of new era In
the history of American institutions.
The day Of the nation has come;
state and local powers are on the wHne
or In small favor. Commercial and in
dustrlal concentration having brought
about new opportunities Tor abuse ~
privilege and the 'mck rakcrs" hnv-
lug walked up the public mini to the
yarious existing evils President Ropsc.
welt found in this congress workable
soil FOR the growth ~ federal powers
in dealing with those evils. The i'm
press ~ the presidents mind was
given 10 all the more important rene
dies adopted. Neither friend nor Zoe
In the political arena will question the
statement tlat the work ~ the session
hears the Rooseveltian stamp. although
the Democrats all along have pointed
out that the president was merely
camping along ~" tiaii blazed 10y their
party platforms. Nevertheless the
presidents party. being In the majority
~ both ends Of the capitol. has either
taken the credit or been forced To ns-
sumo responsibility for what was done
even when aided 10y Democratic votes
Railroad Rate Regulation.
IT," L"NIp;' wus struck mili i..'.-
ally .H lie message which crlg. ces rr-
co'y"i 40 the cucniIg of tho session.
namely the insisicnce on federal fixing
of Interstate railroad rates ns well a.
the prevention OF rebates. or any kind
OF special favorS. Rate bills " vHri-
GUS kinds aud descriptions were
promptly introduced IN both souat" aud
house but. the house majority being
under better discipline. the bill was
more promptly formulated there which
was approved at the White House. II
WAS fathercd 10y Representative Hep
burn, as chairman Of the committee on
Interstate commerce. II was so modl.
fed In the committee rs 10 come before
the house without Democratic oppOsi-
tion and after few days OF perfume.
tory discussion. 10 was passed ON Feb.
s by the almost UNANIMOUS vote ~
$40 10 :, the seven opponents all bc.
ing Republicans. As passed IL gave
the interstate commerce commission
full power 20 regulate iptersutc freight
tariffs without express recognition OF
the rights Of appeal In the courts. This
however, was only the foundation OF
the law that was tO 20 to the statute
book.
In the senate the Hepburn bill was
d, stlncd 20 run the gauntlet of fierce
opposition from conservative faction
of the Republicans. led 10y Aldrch and
Foraker, and become the football OF
personal and party chickering's over l.
period Of three months. The main
point OF the dispute was the question
Of n broad or narrow court review pro
vision, and at one time after the presi
dents political and personal enemy
Tlllman. had been placed I'm charge ol
the measure there was a tacit coalition
between the president and the minor
ity. Later however, the president ac
ceptcd the compromise Allison amend
ment upon which his party associates
had agreed. yostlng jurisdiction In TN
circuit courts 10 cnjOin. set aside, an
nul or suspend any order OF the commits
sion on appeal of the carrier concerned
IL was nj this time that the DemOcratl
leaders charged the president with ba,
faith on the strength Of representation
said 10 have been made through OK
Senator Chandler Finally the bill
with siXiy-seven amendments passet
the senate May lS 10y vote OF n Z
3. still further changes were mad
In conference thereafter.
The senate cOnferrees held out stul
hOrnly against the house proposal {
drop the clause placing pipe lines unde
federal control. As this was finall
agreed Ia by senate and house, the pip
lines are TO he regarded as cOmmO
carriers. hut are not prohibited frOI
carrying their own products. Rallroa
and railway mail employees ARE eN
empted from the anti-pass amendmen
Investig cations and Inspections.
In both branches bills were intrC
duced early, authorizing investigation
OF the railroad monopolles and n con
binatlon OF these known as the Til
man Gillespie Campbell measure WA
passed. by the house Jan. % an
though signed by the president, wa
sharply criticised by him for not carr,
ing funds and due authority. tn