Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-19
6THE TELLER AMENDMENT.
Continued from Page u.
particularly interested Aldrich he
dropped like hot potato

dropped like hot potato.
The Bailey Amendment.
The "joker" which attracted Aldrich
consisted in the innocent looking little
amendment offered by Bailey to the
effect that the commission should have
the power to fix rate that should af-
ford "just compensation.
Guileless as it appears, it Is the
opinion of the ablest lawyers that Gust
compensation should not be employed
in connection with the powers con-
ferred upon the commission. This
would tie the commission up so that
every rate fixed would necessarily at
ford just compensation, regardless of
surrounding conditions AS matter
of fact, railroads themselves frequently
make rate that does not afford just
compensation because of peculiar and
extraordinary conditions.
| Many Consider Conditions.
| To fix such rate at all times would
work hardship both upon the shipper
and the carrier Under the language
of the bill lin the judgment of the
commission rates that are just and
reasonable" the commission may take
into consideration surrounding and Pc
culiar conditions in determining the
rate and thus preserve to both shipper
and carrier rights and privileges that
should not be taken from them by the
iron-clad order of congress.
Democrats at War.
Then the President discovered a
situation within the democratic ranks
that convinced him that there was no
hope of coherent action. A good deal
has been said about delivering twenty
six democratic votes for the Dolliver-
Hepburn bill. These were largely pa
per figures. 1t is very evident that
when it came to the pinch the actual
twenty-six votes would not have been
produced. Your correspondent hap
pens to know something about this
phase of the matter. There were at
least half dozen little groups of dem
ocratic senators, each group entertain
ing some pet theories on the rate ques-
ton, and the members Of each group
did not agree perfectly. AS has been
pointed out the democrats are in a
hopeless wrangle over this and that,
chiefly over the question of leadership.
There is intense jealousy of Bailey In
many quarters. Half dozen delega-
tons are divided and at swords points.
For example Baile..- and Culbertson
hardly speak, it is said; Bacon and
Clay are at outs, Simmons and Over
man are by the ears. Clark and Ber-
ry, Of Arkansas, never speak, and
other DELEGATIONS are more or less at
outs.
III Feeling Apparent.
The ill-feeling on the democratic
side is matter of dali! comment.
Several times each day democratic
senators automatically give each 9th.
er body blows and oftentimes under
the belt. The fact is that the more
conservative senators have given up
in despair any concerted action along
any line Personal matters and ha-
tired overshadow everything else and
make harmony of action impossible.
Now, the President is something OF
a politician himself He was not
asleep during the negotiations with
the democrats. He listened calmly to
the claims that the democrats could
deliver twenty-six votes for the DOLL
ver-Hepburn bill, but in the meantime
he engaged, through trusted lieuten'
ants, in a little investigating on his
own account. When the returns were
all in he was convinced that the mi
nority could not deliver twenty-siz
votes and perhaps not twenty votes.
Aldrich Is Trapped.
The President is too thoroughly in
earnest in his desire for good, rate
bill to build hopes and expectations on
foundations of sand. He did not pro
pose to go into an enterprise of the
, sort under contemplation and Their
find, when it came to the pinch that
he was knocked out and his forces in
full retreat. On the contrary he pri
vately reached the conclusion that the
scheme to work with the democrats
would not produce results and at, once
set about working on another plan
1t was then that negotiations were op
ened with Senator Allison. Wher
the President called to his supper
Senator Allison he struck the righ
trail. Senator Allison knows what t.
, do and how to do it, and he does no
employ brass band to proclaim hi:
movements. Another kind of tral
was prepared and placed where Sena
tor Aldrich would be likely to see it
This was the so-called Allison amend
ment as first seen written on bit o
paper. When Aldrich saw this HI
jumped at it and declared it SOLVED
the problem. He had previously beer
informed by New York interests tina
he had made bad work Of his trust ant
that he had better close up on an.
terms possible. After he had pro
! nounced the Allison amendment good
it transpired that this amendment wa
not just what he thought it to be
However, he was on record and wa
told to look pleasant and take tn
medicine. The President is an,
ought to be satisfied. The bill is ia
better than anybody believed it woult
be possible to pass.
Frank j. Stillman
CLAIM COUNTY.