New-York tribune., 1906-05-15
WORK ON THE RATE BILL
Reorganization of Interstate Com
merce Commission Considered.
rrnnm rhs 1,r,bnne Rureau. ]

rFrom The Tribune Bureau.l
Washington. May 1.-THE Senate to-qay tooN
up and discussed the Lodge amendment 10 the
Hepburn bin. II provides for the reorganlza-
ton OF the Interstate Commerce COMMISSION
and was declared by Senator Hale, IN the course
Of the debate 70 be one Of the most important
amendments which the Senate has yet had TO
consider for. as he explained, this deals. not
with the courts and the method OF reviewing
orders OF the commission, but with the orgeniza-
tion OF the commission itself. the body wnieh
shall issue those orders and on the character Ok
whose work the stability OF the orders must
largely depend.
Mr.. Lodge proposes. by the amendment con-
sidered to-day TO enlarge the commission from
five to nine members, of whom. the CHAIR
man. shall receive salary of S12.50O and the
others $4,000 year. Provision is MADE ror tlle
first appointment Of members of the commission
in groups of three, TO serve three. six and nine
years. respectively, and after the expiration OF
three years all appointments. except TO I'LL unex-
pired terms TO be for nine years, while MEM
bers appointed 10 fill unexpired terms shall be
appointed only for the time such term may run
The Lodge amendment further provides that
no person in any manner pecuniaTily interested
In any common carrier shall serve as member
Of the commission: that the commissioners snail
not engage in any other business: that va
the COMMISSION Snail NOL AAlpGAA NAAO
validity of its acts. ETC. BY an amendment of
fered by Senator Hale and accepted by Mr..
Lodge. the measure further provides that the
commissioners shall be selected one from each
iudicial circuit Of the United States. The de-
hate which followed the taking up of the amend
roent demonstrated that there would be opposl-
tion to the selection of commissioners according
TO judicial circuits these were comparatively
far more numerous in the East than IN the
South and West Mr.. Lodge explained that
he WAS in no way welded to the proposition
that the selections should be so made and eX-
Droosod anprovaI of Senator Bailey's suggestion
that TRANSPORTATION districts" be the term used'
and that these be so defined as most equitaoly
IN distribute the membership throughout the
country. mileage and tonnage to be the gulolhg
factors in the definition Of districts.
Senator Hale who secured the floor as soon
as Mr. lodge had called up his amendment
sought in a few forceful words to impress on
the Senate the Importance of creating coIlHlls-
sion which should be composed or the pest men men
who could be secured senator doQ ~ +Se 9rest
on the Importance of securing men or the great
est ability and highest standing, ana urSed thaI
the Senate devote its best efforts 10 the per
fection OF this section OF tne pl 1r5ission
the Hepburn bill imposed on the con, colililiIsSiOr @
The greatest responsibility ever imposed on any
administrative body in the history OF the ma
The indications are that the Lodge amend
fient. possibly with some changes, VIII be per
fected and adopted. The remainder OF to-uay
session was almost exclusively devoted TO Votlng
down and laying the table amendments OF OF
fered by Senator La Toilette and Senator L. LdIel.
After the disposal of the Lodge amendmehI
there will remain 70 be read in committee OF the
whole only Sections 8 and 10, both OF which are
largely perfunctory, following the cusIohaLy
style and the bill will then ne reported 10 me tne
Senate where every clause will again be open
TO amendment. AS there are certain TO be many
changes proposed. especially in amendments al
ready adopted such as the ant-pass provision
the Eikins coal and coke railroad amendment
etc. II is regarded assured that the final vote
cannot oe reached before Wednesday, ana the
end nav come even later Still further delay
is almost assured it, is believed probable sen
ators TiIlman and Bailey attempt to retrieve
their regulations in the Senate tomorrow. anu
as is possible a general political debate ensues.