Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-14
TO AMEND HEPBURN BILL
Senate Committee Nay Agrss to Change
Court Review Feature
ALIGNMENT OF FORCES BEGINNING
Indications that Administration Re-
publicans May Not Have United
support OF Democrats in
Committee.

publicans May Not Have United
support OF Democrats in
Committee.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-There were in 1
dications at today's meeting OF the senate /
committee on interstate commerce that an I
amendment would be proposed tomorrow /
on which supporters of the court review !
feature for railroad rate legislation may !
agree. The phraseology Of the amendment |
has not been determined. but may be de-
cided upon at conference of Senators FL |
kins, Aldrich and one or two others opposed /
to the bill as il stands.
Senator Foraker took an active part in the |
discussion today by asking questions con- |
cerning the powers of the courts under the |
Hepburn bill and whether it would inter !
fere with any fundamental rights. Senator |
Dolliver explained the rate-making section !
Of the bill and the intention of the persons
who drew IT, declaring that II was the pur- |
pose to carry out the provisions of the con- |
stitution, giving the government the right |
to regulate commerce between the states |
! Neither faction in the committee is able to |
| line up its forces and know just where il !
stands. one two democrats have not
| made their positions known. OF the repub
| Leans Dolliver, Clapp and Cullom favor the
bill il came from the house, and Elkins
| Aldrich. Kean, Foraker and Crane will not
vote to report a bill which does not con-
| tain a provision for court review of orders
! Of the Interstate Commerce commission.
/ Supporters of the house bill have claimed
| all the democrats. but the speech of Mr..
! 1fllman i'm the senate yesterday Is said 10
have made them uncertain as to his vote
1 and so far as known MI McLaurn has not
made his position clear. If these demo-
! cratic votes are lost the bin cannot he re-
ported in its present form. If OF the
votes was lost the committee would be tied
! as Senator Cullom cannot get here to vote
on Friday and Senator Dolver has been
| unable 10 arrange pair in the committee.
EIkins Introduces Rate Dill.
senator Elkins today introduced his bill
for railway rate legis alton. Tho features
I Of the measure have heretofore been pub
lished
Tho measure provides that whenever amy
rate, fare or charge established by any
common carrier shall be unjust and uu-
reasonable. the Interstate Commerce COM
mission shall have power after complaint
and hearing to make an order requiring
such rate to be modified SO far as shall be
necessary in order to remove the unrea-
sonablencss. The order shan take effect
on and after a date to bc specified not
less than thirty days after service upon
the carrier and snail continue in effect for
ono year. unless restrained or set aside
by lawful order or decree Of court. or
unless revoked az modified by q supple
mcnlary order or the commission, which
may be made upon the application of or
after rotice TO the carrier defending the
proceeding
Provision IS n.idc for tho susoens,on by
I b,, Of
in whole or in part whcncvcr it shall an
pear that justice requires it, such suspen-
sion to continue until the unreasonable bicness
Of the order has been determined The
provision concerning the institution of suits
by the commission have been changed only
In unimportant details and no changes have
, b"cn made in the remaining sections \
new section Is Incorporated, however. pro-
viding that if any section OF. the bill is
declared by the supreme court to be uu-
constitutional. this ruling shall not affect
other sections. Senator Elkins says of the
, bill:
This hill uses substantially the words of
the presidents message in regard to the
= regulation Of railway transportation In
; every respect the bill complies with and
is in harmony with the presidents posi-
ton, as outlined in his MESA gcs to con-
z gress and his speeches 1t is also i'm har-
, mony with the idea as set forth in Senator
t Knox's Pittsburg speech,
Famine in Northern Japan.
{ President Roosevelt in appeal today
= took official cognizance of the famine
which has grown to serious proportions in
: northern Japan. The appeal follows:
February lS 1875 The famine situation
IN northern Japan Is proving much more
sands OF persons are on the verge of
starvation; It is a calamity such as may
like men. should stand ever ready to aid
each other in distress and | appeal to the
American people TO help from their abund-
ancc their suffering felowmen of the great
and friendly nation Of Japan, | recon-
be sent to the American National Red
Cross, which Will forward such funds to
= the Jananese Red Cross TO be used as the
: japanese government may direct. Contri-
buttons can be made 10 the local Red Cross
: treasurers, or sent direct to Hon. Charles
e States Treasury department., WASHINGTON.
: d. c. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Committee Calls Cromwell
y The senate committee on interstate
q canals has subpoenaed William Nelson
> Cromwell of New York 10 appear before
. the committee in connection with the in
: | Yestigation Of canal affairs.
y BurbanIS's Sentence Approved.
n The president today approved the SEN
A tences of the court-martial in the two cases
: against First Lieutenant Sidney s. Bur
: bank, who was tried I'm the Philippines.
, In one case he was charged with making
a false official statements with reference 10
: his alleged marriage to a Filipino woman
. and in the other with embeZzlement OF
company funds. He was sentenced to dis
missal in each case, but in the latter he
= was sentenced in addition to Imprisonment
, for fifteen months.
The president also approved the sentences
d Of the court-martial in the two cases
against Second Lieutenant Homer E. Lewis
of the Twentieth infantry who was tried
at Fort Crook, Neb., on charges OF dupli-
eating his pay accounts and embezzlement
5 of funds. In both cases he was sentenced
to dismissal and in the Iatter was given
n an additional sentence of eighteen months