The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-23
SITUATION IS IN DEMOCRATIC HANDS Senate Committee Forces Vote
 on Rate Bill Today DEMOCRATS UP IN THE AIR They Will Carefully Consider the Knox Plan, and Conference Is Held
 to Discuss Various
 Measures.

Washington. February 22-What the members of the Senate committee on in- terstate commerce will do when they face a vote on the court review feature of railroad rate bill tomorrow, is question that tonight is provoking un- limited speculation and wide variance in predictions The democratic members of the committee hold the key to the situation but at conference tonight they were unable to agree. When they adjourned to meet tomorrow morning they favored sending the bill to the Senate floor without a report of any character The conservative republicans declared they would win with an amend ment and Senators Bolliver and Clapp continued their stand against amend ments.
 Seemed to CIarfy Situation.
 The introduction today by Senator Knox of a railroad rate bill containing a feature for court review seemed to clar- fly the situation for time. The con- servative faction of the committee con slsitng of Senators Ellins, Aldrich, For aker, Kean and Crane was ready to ac- eept this feature, and they held confer ence at which 1t was agreed to offer 1t as an amendment to the Hepburn bill. They counted on certain democratic votes In the committee to give them majority, but the hestancy of these democrats in committing themselves to the amendment upset their plans. The democrats said K well before agreeing to vote for 1t. As a result Senators Tillman, McLaurin and Foster conferred They took into their conference the Knox plan an amendment prepared by the conservative republicans and the plans provided in various other rate bills with the intention of deciding between them. The conservative repuo- lcans said they did not care what amendment was selected, but urged the democrats to bring out some plan, even though 1t should be new scheme, origi- mated in the conference.
 Democrats In Absolute Control.
 In any event the democrats will go into the committee tomorrow In absolute con trol of the situation. They can amend 
 the Senate in the form passed by the House. There will be eleven members of the committee present when the com mlttee meets. Six members are major ity. There are five republican members who will vote together for a court review amendment. One democratic vote there- fore is sufficient to amend the bill. Until the democratic members decided to ger together the conservative republicans ,.la txun dafnnprafip VOfnS It is not likely that the democratic position will be disclosed before the meeting tomorrow.
 The minority members today said frank ly that they were "up in the air They said they were inclined to favor a plan, suggested some time ago of reporting the House bill to the Senate without any strings attached" By this expression they mean that report of the commit tee will have little bearing on the deci- sion of the Senate, and therefore all amendments might well be considered on the floor. Their theory was that the contest in the committee would have to be fought over again on the floor.
 May Ask for More Time.
 If additional time is demanded by the democrats the committee will tomorrow consider numerous pertinent amendments relating to provisions other than the court features. In that event the commit tee will not attempt to formulate It's report until Saturday.
 If the conservative faction succeeds in amending the Hepburn bill by insert ing the review feature of the Knox bill, several republican senators will endeavor to amend the amendment after the bill reaches the floor. Their scheme, if sue cessful. would limit the review to the questions as to whether the commission in making a rate had exceeded It's au- thority, and whether the order was is- sued in violation of the constitutional rights of the complainant
 This restriction would be made by in- serting half a dozen words in the Knox amendment That portion of the amend ment for the institution of proceedings would then provide that "any carrier. person or corporation party to the pro- ceedings affected by the decision of the commission as to the rate or practice covered by the complainant or by its or der prescribing different rate or prac- tice, and alleging either or both to be beyond the authority of the commission, or a violation of it's or their constitutional rights may institute proceedings to have such questions determined" The words in the above inserted by the senators referred to. and which are not in the Knox amendment, are beyond the au- thority of the commission" and the word ''constitutionap' preceding the word rights" The supporters of this plan are among the leading lawyers of the senate in the faction antagonistic to amending the house bill It is said their efforts would leave the Knox amendment very similar to the revision by Attorney Gen eral Moody Attorney General Moody's idea was disapproved by Senator Knox.
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