The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-15
ALDRlCH TURNS
EVERYTHING! ]. DOWN O., !
Standard Oil Senator in Absolute
Control of Vote of Re-
publicans.
rom Our Regular correspondent

From Our Regular correspondence
WASHINGTON, d. c.. May l4,-Ine
Senate spent busy day over the rate
bill.
party lines were very tightly drawn.
The Renublicaus have the bill In charge
absolutely. and Senator Aldrich has the
Repubicans in charge. He Is as much
in command as lie Is when question
OF finance Is being discussed In the SEN
ate or when tariff revision measure
n suggested by some Democrat People a
hundred miles from Washington may
doubt whether the President ana senator
Aldrich are standing together IN the mat
ter of rate legislation.
People who sit in the gallery ana
watch the standard OH senator directing
the course of legislation AFFECTING railroads
have never a doubt. ,z.. TX
Knitted Everything.
The Republicans, led by Senator AID
rich, refused this afternoon to incorporate
In the bill d provision abrogating the COM
mon law doctrine of the non-llnbility OF
carriers for injuries received by employees,
Senator Martin introduced bill Of this
character last session. Senator Daniel IN
troduced n similar bill this session. lie
was one OF the principal advocates OF the
amendment embodylns the principle to-
day. Senator Lafollette x proposed the
amendment, n tactical mistake on the
part of tho advocates OF the principle, for
the Republicans made the steady practice
OF voting down every amendment pro-
posed by the junior senator from Wis
consin. admittedly to be the best In
formed man on railroad matters In pub
lie life, as he Is the foremost advocate
of rate legislation.
The most important action taken by
| the Senate during the day was on the
| Lafolctte amendment authorizing the IN
| terstate Commerce Commission to make
an accurate valuation Of the railroad
properties of the country. Mr.. lafolette
| made an mpassioned plea for this amend-
| mcnt. He declared that the bill would
be useless and utterly ineffective in the
| particular OF making Just rates unless
It were adopted The law required that
rates be "just and reasonable"
How could the commission make q
just rate--one that would yield fair
return on the capital invested---unless
the commission knew the amount of cap
ital so invested? To the crowded gal
lcries 1t must have seemed that his ar
gument would prevail. 1t was unanswer-
able. His fellow Republicans did not try
to answer it. Mr. Aldrich kept busy.
lIo was moving back and forth among
the Republican senators MI the time
Senator Lafolctte was speaking frcquent-
~ stopping for short whispered con-
ference. Aud then the vote was taken,
Every Republican senator save five voted
against an amendment which might show
how much Mater there Is in railway stock
generally. The Democrats voted solidly
for the amendment.
1t was so throughout the day, There
WAS no serious attempt ut argument on
the Republican side They had the votes
that is, Senator Aldrich had them
and he knew he could deliver them. AND
he did. every time.
Senator Daniel made most convincing
ARGUMENT In favor of his amendment tc
permit tho record Of the case as made III
from the record Of the hearing befor,
the Interstate Commerce Commission, Il
be taken 10 tho court OF review. 'rhi
would have had the effect Of preventing
The railroads from introducing the majo
part Of their Testimony after the cas-
got TO the courts, Senator Aldrich nM'
his followers smashed the proposition
i without qualm.
The rate bill is going to HE House
i, is going to the President, It is goin
to The statute books, II is going TO IN
: people. with Senator Nelson w. al