The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-02-27
DEMOCRATS IN LEAD
Rate Bill, Passed by House and
Supported by President, Now
In Opposition'S Hands.
TlLLMAN THE SPOKESMAN.

South Carolina Senator Intrusted Will
Measure After Presidents Former
Supporters Turn Against Him-Knoz
Has an Interstate Commerce Act
Army Retirements Criticised.
An unprecedented situation has been
brought about in congress by the selec-
ton of Senator Tillman to make the re-
port of the senate interstate commerce
committee for the Hepburn rate bill
without amendment.
1t has given the whole rate question
political Importance that it has not
hitherto possessed. Democrats are
jubilant because they believe they are
to get the credit before the country for
rate legislation, while they predict the
Republican party will be split open by
the bitter dissensions in the senate
Ii was Senator Aldrich. the leader of
the Republican party in the senate and
chief of the opposition to the president,
who, when he had been defeated by
Democratic votes, moved to place Sen
ator Tillman in charge of the bill.
After Senator Tillman reported the
bill to the senate Senator Aldrich
made an address in which he said:
"a majority of the Republican mem
bers Of the committee did not join in
the favorable report which has just
been made by the senator from South
Carolina for the reason that in their
judgment an attempt should have been
made by the committee TO remedy by
proper amendments some of the obvi-
Gus and admitted defects and omis-
sions of the house bill and that clear
and adequate provision should have
been made for subjecting the orders of
the commission affecting rates to judi
cial review
1t is said the president must depend
on the Democrats to get his measure
through the senate.
1t was not done without struggle.
The Democrats were not united at the
beginning of the session. Mr. Foster
of Louisiana was in favor of amending
the bill, and Mr. McIaurin of Missis-
sippi was inclined that way. When
Mel aurin found how his colleagues
were going to vote he said that as a
Democrat he would vote with his par
ty, but Foster stood out and his vote
was battIed for by Republicans and
Democrats for hours. Had he voted
with the Republicans it would have re-
versed the result.
With the Democrats stood two Re-
publicans who have been with the
president from the first Deliver and
Clapp. They were both bitter over the
action of their Republican enemies in
turning the bill over to the Democrats.
They had expected that Dolliver would
be placed in charge of it. and they de-
clare that the thing was devised to put
them and the president in the position
of being allies of the Democrats and
boilers from the party
All senator's. whatever their individ-
ual view unite in considering the rail
road question as the most important
before congress, and friends and oppo-
nents Of the Hepburn Dolliver bill alike
unite in the desire to have it settled.
Senator Knox introduced his inter-
state commerce bill in the senate.
1t broadens the Hepburn bill, passed by
the house, and contains provision for
review by the courts of the orders of
the interstate commerce commission.
Representative Lloyd Dem Mo- in
troduced a resolution in the house pro-
posing an amendment to the constitu-
ton limiting private fortunes to $1O,-
100000. Wherever the limit is exceed
ed the excess shall be condemned as a
public nuisance, folly or peril and be
forfeited to the United States.
Representative Keifer (O.) introduce
ed a bill to reduce the number of rep
reseutatives in the house of southern
states because of the Acknowledgement
Of negro voters.
Severe criticism was INDUCED in in
the house of representatives regard
ing the effect of the retirement sys-
TEN Of the war department. Mr..
Prince (ll.t opened the question aud
said that IN three years sixty-two brig
adler generals had been made who held
that rank for day and then retired.
These officers have one hand on the
flag and the other in the treasury, get
ting money they have not earned, de
clared MIR Prince. When asked who
was responsible he said the president
was the only one having authority to
make promotions and the senate con-
firmed his actions.
After fifteen years of consideration
of the subject the senate passed a pure
food bill by the decisive vote Of SO to 4.
Senators Bailey, Bacon, Foster and
Tillman voted against the measure.