Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-02

ed upon and the Iowa senator said that
while he did not agree with his colleague
he would rather follow that plan than to
attach an amendment to the House dill
giving the courts the rights of review
two or three years after action by tho
committee. He believed this plan would
result in such delays as to make the pro
posed law ineffective. He contendcd that
the ordinary courts We're SO burdenc q
with miscellaneous questions as to be
incapable of properly taking on the new
business that Forakcr's system would on
tail. He thought the railroad business
should be in the hands of !, BODY of men
who represent tho business community
rather than the legal profession
Commenting upon Forakcr'S criticism
that the Dollver-IIcpburn bill was I'M
constitutional. Dolliver said that it is
most important to know what power Con-
gre IS had in the matter of rate making
and he therefore urged the importance
of passing the bill for that purpose if for
no other. He contended that if the states
have power to fix rates as decided bv the
supreme court. the United States had the
same power
had been charged with Il tendency to-
ward Socialism. only to contradict it. say
ing that he did not desire to have the
government take charge of the business
interests of the country. He believed full
ly in the right of property to protection.
Yet he asserted that there is q storm
brewing and that the time is approaching
when the citizens of the United States
are going to make an inquiry into the
right by which some men in a few years
make hundreds of millions Of dollars.
rendering them capable of even ovcrshad-
owing the national government" and he
predicted that if Congress did not agree
upon bill for the regulation Of the rail
roads. the country would be called upon
to face the problem of government own
ership
DOllivcr replied to the criticism thai
he was manifesting a disposition towards
Democracy by denying it ana closed witt,
another tribute to President Roosevelt
expressing the conviction that ''the people
would evcr-treasurc with grateful hearts
his blunt platform of square deal for
every man
Doliivcr spoke for two hours and 10
minutes and when nc ceased spcakinr
was applaudcd from the galleries
The House amendments to the Joint
resolution extending the present tribal
government in Indian Territory until
March, 1907, were non-concurred in by
the Senate and Clapp, McCumbcr ana Du-
bois were appointed to confer with the
House for the adjustment Of the confer
ences
Consideration Of the Indian settlement
bill was then resumed. Clark Mont
moved to disagree with the Senate COM
mittee amendment providing for the sale
of coal and asphalt lands, leaving in ef-
feet the House provision for the leasing
of such lands.
LaFOllette offered a number of amend
ments. one of which was to strike out the
provision granting to coal mine owners
immunity from damages on account of
the subsistence Of the surface He de-
nounctd the provision as "another device
for the benefit of the mining corpora-
TONS He demanded 4 roll call on tha
amendment and it was lost bv the vote
of to 81, LaFollette casting the ONLY
affirmative Republican vote
Among the votes cast in the negative
was that OF Cuiberson. who Immediately
upon the announcement of the result
moved reconsideration. He spoke of the
provision as extraordinary and called
upon Clapp for an explanation.
Clapp said the clause had been inserted
in the hope that it would enhance the
value of the coal lands
Th" differences We're ultimately comnro-
missed so as to protect existing surfaca
owners and CulberSon withdrew his mo-
tion to reconsider.
Stone suggested an amendment cvtc,d
ing until 1911 the time when coal I,nds
may be sold. and in explanation said bn
iiad heard stories involving persons of
such high standing in official life" that
he considered this the wise and safe
course to pursue.
The amendment was accented
Amendments by LaFollctte limiting n
1000 acres the land that may be sold IT,
any one purchaser WAS voted down.
LaEollette then formally offered his
anne cndment prohibiting railroad comma
| MES from acquiring any Of the territorial
| coal lands. He explained that these
lands were worth in the aggregate sI75
eU,cO lie said that of the 113 leases nov.
| in existence covering 1OL.0OO acres of tbe
| coal lands, the railroad companios con
| troll y covering 5000 acres and that bs
| had been informed that these combipo-
| tons would have the effect Of keeping out
| private operators because Of the difficu,-
| ty in securing transportation when thev
come into competition with railroad own
crs. He cited the conditions in West Vir.
ginia rs shown by the lettor of Gov. Daw-
| son of that state recently read i'm tho
| Senate. and expressed tho opinion that
| the time had come for the government
to declare policy with respect to co,,
lands"
| The further consideration Of the bill wa
postponed and Clark. Wyo., moved tho
/ appointment Of n select committee NJ
| five senators to investigate affairs in H.
/ dian Territory. Action on the motin,
/ also went over
| The Senate at 80 went into executive
session and at 5.35 adjourned.
THE PUBLIC DEBT