The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-12-26
SIGNED RATE BILL TOO SOON.
Chicago Prosecutors Hold Anxious
Consultations in Washington and
the President is Concerned.


Consultations in Washington and
the President is Concerned
Washington, Dec. 1s.-President
Roosevelt is greatly concerned over
the possibility that the Standard Oh
Company and other corporations in
dieted in Chicago for violation of the
old Elkins antirebate law shall obtain
Immunity because Of a hasty action OF
his. John S. Miller. counsel for the
Standard Oil Company, has attacked
the validity of the indictments on
the ground that by jugglery OF law
the old anti-rebate act was repealed
when the president signed the Hep
burn rate bill on June 20, and that
the day after a hiatus was created
when a resolution was passed and
signed suspending the operation OF
the rate bill for sixty days. The IN
d;ctncnes were found in the time OF
this supposed hiatus, when, according
to Mr.. Miller, no anti-rebate law was
IN effect.
President Roosevelt is responsible
for the situation, because he was in
such hurry to sign the Hepburn
bill that he would not wait for the
resolution, although plain warning
had been given in the senate against
such a course. When the bill was ap-
preaching final passage, in the clos
inc DAYS of the last session, cry
went up from the railroads that it was
so complicated that they needed time
to consider it. That seemed reason
able to congress, and5it was deter
mined to postpone the date at which
{ the new law should become operative.
There was considerable discussion in
the senate as to the method of doing.
this. It was finally decided that the
best way vas to pass the bill first
and then pass a joint resolution fix
ing the time at which it should be-
come operative.
Senator Tillman, who was iii charge
of the rate bill, introduced the reso-
luton before the bill had been accept
ed by the senate. That was at the
afternoon session of the senate on
June %. Objection was made to the
passage of the resolution then, and
Senator Tillman declared that if
it went over it would be against his
wish. as he was unwilling to take
such responsibility. Senator Gull
iun, said it could 80 over until after
the bill had been passed, and Bailey
made the same suggestion.
"But of course, the president will
not sign the bill until he has the res
olution,' declared Bailey, '.and then
he vii, s.gn them BOTH az,
That was where Bailey reckonee
without knowledge of TIE president.
For the very thing he warned against,
and for which Tillman was unwilling
to assume responsibility, happened.
The bill was agreed to by the con-
ferees on the afternoon Of eJune %,
and the conference report was adopt
ed by both houses that evening. The
bill went Immediately to the presi-
: dent, who signed it on the moment
zalthough he knew of the resolution.
ghe resolution did not get through
!hl June 80, although the senate
Led promptly. In the house it was
anded slightly, and very signif-
amendment to the title was
by which it was: shown that
aepburn bill had already been
Next day the resolution went
apresident and was signed.
sgovernment cannot deny that
bill had been law one
:sSss:sssSe it's operation was postpon-
eovided that all acts or
acts inconsistent with itself
sid be reaea;ed. The indictments
against the corporation men now de-
murr;ng are alleged by them to have
been .ound under those parts of the
old Elkins anti-rebate law, which
were thus repealed by the Hepburn
law. They contend that that repeal
was absolute and could not be re-
vived by the joint resolution. They
also hold that under the language Of
the Hepburn law the only acts which
can be punished are any that may
have been committed subsequent to
Aug. %, when the Hepburn act went
into effect. p
District Attorney Sims of Chicago
and James H. Wilkerson, his assist