The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-08-31
DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
The Sentinel and the Truth.


In its issue of August II, the Sentinel at
tempted to deceive its readers again in relation
to the recent legislation Of Congress. DO claim
ing all the credit for the railroad rate bill,
because President Roosevelt advocated the
original Hepburn bill. But the original Hep
burn bill was so amended by the efforts of
the Democratic Senators led by Tillman, that
the bill as it passed bore no resemblance 10
the original Hepburn bill, except in the title
and enacting clause. The Hepburn bill was
a decoy bill, written in the interest, and very
probably by the attorneys, of the railroad
1t was not what the people wanted, but sub
terfuge to cheat the people out of what they
wanted. The letter of Gov. Dawson of West
Virginia to Senator Tillman, dated February
6, 1906, which was presented to the Senate
by Senator Tillman on February 6, and printed
in the Congressional Record of that date, at
page 21SO, and the letter Of Mr.. Bullitt Of
the Red Rock Fuel Company of West Viz
ginia to Senator Tillmsn, printed in the
Record of January 20. at page 1879, show
what people interested in rate legislation
tlOugnL OF I0e h6pDuTu biit anu bhC PSASS'-S
and interests back of it. They thought that
the railroads were behind it, and that the
Republican party was behind it; and there
fore they appealed to Democratic Senators
for a square deal, knowing that their appeal
would be Ignored by Republican Senators
unless they could be forced to act by having
some Democrat insert their petitions and the
facts Of the case in the Record; thus forcing
treacherous double-deahng men ike Elkins
to act or take the consequences.
Having spread the facts, Us stated by Gov.
Dawson and Mr.. Bullitt in the Record, Sena-
tor Tillman introduced joint resolution 5.
Res. a2) for the investigation of the coal
carrying railroads by the Interstate Commerce
Commission, and that Commission brought
out so many facts relating to graft and fraud
on the part of the railroads, the coal compan
les and the Standard Oil Company, that The
Senate was forced to do something fos the
people by amending the Roosevelt Hepburn
bill, so as to make it unlawful for railroads to
engage in mining, to make pipe lines common
carriers, to prevent the indiscriminaie granting
of free passes. and TO provide penalties by
Imprisonment for violations of the law. After
this was done the Rockefeller Senator Aldrieh,
compelled Roosevelt and his followers to in
serf the so-called Allison amendment in the
bill, in order to make 1t unconstitutional, by
comforting legislative powers on the courts
and in this way to make the whole scheme of
legislation abortive, while pretending to grant
what the public demanded. The Democrats
opposed the Rockefeller. Allison amendment,
but voted for the bill on its final passage, be-
cause with all its faults, it was beginning,
and viii be amended so as 10 conform 10 the
Constitution after the next election, il the
Democrats control the House Of Representa-.
iives, and by means of their power over the
money bills, be able to force the Republicans
to join them in giving the country a square
deal
If any man viii read the letters Of Governor
Dawson and Mr.. BalIitt, and the testimony
taken by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion under TIE Tllman resolution, he will see
for himself what farce the Hepburn. Roose-
welt bill was as It passed the House without
any provision respecting the real abuses con-
planned of