The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-08

the Antf- Pass Provision Received by
Senators-Mr. TiIlman Called At
tention to the Changes Made by the
Conferees, and Senator Foraker
Criticized Them on Account of the
New Matter Introduced
Washington, June 5.-As Senator
Tillman suggested, there was a "streak
of yellow" in the senate today, due to
the fact that practically every desk in
the chamber was covered with tele-
grams of protest against the anti-pass
provision in the railroad rate bill as
reported by the conference committee.
Senator Hopkins announced that there
were 5000 attached to the batch OF
messages sent up by him, and as sew
eral others forwarded as many, the
total number received was quite for
midable. They were all from railroad
men and in each case consisted Of pro-
tests against cutting off the privilege
vi iIulu9 IICt. Ill duulUIOn There Was Il
formal statement on behalf of engi-
neers, firemen. conductors and train
men, saying that they represented
100000 railway employees.
While the messages were raining
upon the chair Senator Tillman made
protests saying that the kilograms
could, and IN the interest of time-saV-
ing should, be presented through the
secretary.
Il hope Interrupted Senator Fora
ker, that the senator will not insist
on his point, as by so doing he would
suppress all knowledge of the popular
ity of the rate
1t was then that the South Carolina
senator made his suggestion concern
ing the prevailing color in the senate.
He also made the statement that the
kilograms bore evidence of the possess
sion of a good many telegraph franks
in The country. He called attention to
the fact that the bill applies only to
interstate business, and expressed the
hope that if the senate would proceed
with business there would vet De A
sane, reasonable and just Measure
evolved.
Senator Tillman made an appeal for
LIN bNIo VI IhO ~
port on the railroad rate bill. eve
expect that the bill will be emit back
to conference" he said, "and it viii
not take long to do that
Mr.. Tillman proceeded by calling at
tention to the changes made by the
conferees. He said they were made
only for the purpose of making the bill
clearer. He closed by moving to dis
agree to the report, thus sending it
back to conference. Senator Hale met
this motion with a motion to take up
the naval bill. Senators Elkins and
Nelson insisted on making a point of
order against Mr.. Hale's motion. but
the chair overruled them. The motion
to take up the naval bill then prevail
ed, &c to 20.
Senator Foraker criticised the con-
fereeS on accOun of the new matter,
saying that the cOnfereeS were not leg
islatOrs but mere Intermediates. He
also objected to the change in The
anti-paSS provision, making especial
complaint of the elimination Of the
railroad employees from the privilege
of free transportation.
Senator Tillman replied that the
change had been made at the demand
of the conference members of the
house. He promised to do the best
possible if the bill should be sent back.
Il don't know what we can accom-
plish,' he said. for there are some
hard headed men in the house as wei;
as in the senate"
Next Mr.. Foraker found fault with
the amendment prohibiting discrimina-
ton for or against passengers on ac-
count of color. He said several ne
grOes had complained of the provision
as a recognition of the Jim Crow
laws of the south, but that such mad
not been the intention, the only pnr-
pose being to secure proper treatment
for all where the Jim Crow system
prevails.
Mr.. Foraker having said that he had
received complaints concerning the
character of railroad accommodations
supplied negroes in the southern states,
Senators Bailey, of Texas, and Bacon,
of Georgia denied hat any discrimina-
ton is practiced in their respective
states in the character of the cars sup,
piled.
Mr.. Tllman said the amendment
was the last yielded by the senate con-
ferees and expressed the hope that the
senate would instruct the cOnferees to
insist on it's amendments. He said that
ne had himself been invited Out Of a
Jim Crow" a in South Carolina aud
had gone, believing that one race as
well as the other should obey the law.
Senator Foraker also returned to his
contention that the rate bill was not
necessary legislation, but that all that
was requisite was to strengthen the
Eikns law.