New-York tribune., 1906-05-06
PRESIDENT ON RATES.
gUMORS SET Ar REST.
Yarors Incorporation of Allison
amendment in Hepburn Bill.
Irronl The TrIbune Bureau. J

AmtHuMCHt tH GiCpOHW btds
frroa The Tribune Bureau.l
washington. May 5.-The President. with a
..r 10 setting at rest the reports circulated by
...,,,,ntled Democrats and by a few dissatisfied
-..,bl;eans. nisrepresenting his attitude on the
=. question. to-day issued a formal statement
.-s,s.r his position as he outlined Il yesterday
- friends and 10 the newspaper correspond
- The President declares his entire satisfac-
~ with the Hepburn bill and the Allison
.,s,ent. which was printed IN yesterdays
Tribune-
Tie Presidents statement is as follows:
-. ...ealIed Allison amendment, in the Prssi-
ssrss judgment simply states SI''r,,sssey
=. Eeoburn bill: but IL there IS the sllshtest
s5t as 10 its being thus already eentaineo IN
- bin. the President would INSIST upon KS
t.,c put in because, unless u IS oonsa'heo' tne
m Undoubtedly would be WoiG. am,
--ar,Fore as Incorporating the Rlitspn ar'eno.
.t under no circumstances woulo 90 any
as nssa L,,4 good. and as there is an honest doubt
:, he part oF some sincere adherents ot tne oI'
s-bsther Il is or is not already, by imPheatonss
-ts0ed In the bill, the President IS clearly 9t
~ oninion that the Allison amendment shoulo
= ~. in, and this without regard 20 wnetner
cher amendments are or are not aoopteo.
is .le Hepburn bill therefore, passes in this
s.- which is practically the eNaet form IN
,,beh 4 passed the House, L viii be satIs'
s.esorv 70 the President, who from she oe.
s.,ls be satisfactory. But the President would
~ 4 r. in addition 60 the Allison aFnenonent
.be so-ealled Long and oVerTan amendmenss
.ss,s adopted. While the President regards
sLsre srnendments with favor and would like 20
- them adopted, he does not ~ the Ieast re-
s.rd them as vital, and feels that the TePpuiTh
Al would still be in excellent shape even with
ct them.
NO OTHER CHANGE SOUGHT.
there has been an attempt in certain quarters
"a create the impression that the President still
.o,rbt the adoption OF the Long, the Overman
.n5 perhaps other amendments, in addition to
sfe Allison compromise, but this is asserted 20
r. wholly unwarranted. The President has as
serted with all the emphasis OF which he IS
ENABLE that he is satisfied with the Hepburn
hll with the Allison amendment, and the init
,ra,ion that he would attempt to obtain One
,5ontion of other amendments. which have been
reolsoed by the Allison compromise seems 10
4nvrert that he would be guilty Of bad faith
,rten nothing could be further from the truth
A the situation now stands, all the Repubh-
tan Senator's. with the exception Of Messrs Dol
liver. Clapp and La Toilette within the
brsss,works. Senator DolIiver is still lurking
a the chaparral and taking an occasional shot
NJ q Republican sentry. but he is expected to
nonne into the fort within short time. as 1t is
hsrdlv supposed that he will think II wise to aid
Fhe Efforts Of the Democrats to stultify the
agreement whereby unanimous vote OF the Re
sublican Senators is assured. Senator Clapp is
merely trying TO stand by Mr.. Dolliver. and
Mr La Toilette is regarded as a wholly uncer-
lan quantity.
The Democrats IN the Senate are generally
frEious Al Senator Allison's coup. They have
expected and hoped from the first that the Re-
publicans would be unable to pass the rate bill
Rfhout Democratic votes, and they are much
thegrined at a situation which demonstrates
the unanimity Of the majority and leaves the
Democrats out in the cold. Most Of them viii
Fote for the measure, because they would fear
ghs wrath OF their constituents did they do
otherwise but judging by the remarks which
they make mot for publication" they would like
b kill the entire measure, and certainly would
ho 50 Il they could lay the blame at the Repub-
Eran door Il is with these aims that Senators
Bailey TIlman and others are declaring that
fhe Allison compromise provides for the broadest
Bind Of rate review and that IT is "a total back
Gown on the part OF the President"
HISTORY OF COMPROMISE.
Some /, estion has been raised as 70 the au-
thorship Of the so-called Allison amendment,
iad il may be well to give its pedigree here. II
was framed a week ago yesterday, at a meeting
4 winch cel6lDI A4llSOn was Tic SSiaAOA anu AaA
which three other narrow review Senators took
part When they had agreed on the form which
has 1ow been made the basis of the compromise
Senator Allison took the draft 20 the White
House. and On Saturday. April 2S. the President
sgnihed MS approval That same day the
amendment was submitted to Senators Aldr1ch,
Knox and Spooner who also approved IT, and 1t
ihea remained only for the leaders on each side
q the controversy to bring their followers into
Inc This has now been done. By Thursday
sFening total Of fifty Republican Senators had
Egnhed their approval Of the compromise. and
On Friday morning The Tribune published the
fsKt of the amendment.
From all this il viii be seer that the state
Aents which attribute the authorship OF the
Allison amendment TO Senators Aldrich, Spooner
aha others are wholly without foundation.
while The charge that Senator Allison did not
THte The amendment is a mere qUibhle. it hav-
ing been drawn under his immediate super
Vision. Il may be added that Senator Fulton
O Oregon. actually held the pen with which
Ns amendment was drafted.
II Is somewhat doubtful if Senator Allison
III be wei enough TO come 70 the Senate on
Monday. II he IS he win offer the amendment
q which his name has been attached If he is
paalle 70 come. it viii probably be introduced
@ Senator Cumom the author Of the original
Interstate Commerce act or by some other OF
1e Senator's who have all along accepted the
senior Senator from Iowa as their leader.