Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-26
RATE BILL Up IN SENATE
Opposition Shows that Measure Must Go u
Conference Again.
RELATIONS OF RAILWAYS AND ELEVATORS
Mr. LRFoIIette's Resolution Providins
for InVestisatiOn of Alleged
illegal Com binRtiOn
L. Passed.

WASHINGTON. d. c.. June 25.--The SEN
ate today discussed the conference report
on the railroad rate bill for more than tour
hours but did not dispose Of it. 1t was
made evident however that another con-
ference will be ordered.
The discussion dealt entirely with the
ant-pass and commodity amendments. to
both of which objection was made on vari-
Gus grounds. Senator Spooner expressed
the opinion that under the pass provision as
reported senators and members of tho
house OF representatives would not be pro-
nibited from accepting passes, and other
senators construed part of the provision
as i'm the interest Of a discrimination in
passes that could be made to take the place
Of rebates. Senators Tillman and Lodge
sharply criticised the change in the com
modify amendment so as to prohibit rail-
roads" and not common carriers from
engaging in the production OF articles TO be
transported by themselves, as in the inter-
est Of the Standard Oil company.
Senator LAFollette secured favorable ac-
tion on a resolution extending the inquiry
of the Interstate Commerce commission to
the connection between the elevators of the
northwest and the railroads
Senator Hopkins took exception to the
conference report on the Niagara Falls in
ternational agreement bill, in that It does
not provide against the treatment OF the
waters OF Lake Michigan as subject TO IN
ternational agreement The report was
however agreed to.
About 800 private pension bills were
passed.
The senate held a night session AMI at
9:45 p. m. adjourned until II o'clock tomor-
row morning.
Railroads and Grain Dealers.
The senate today passed Senator La Fol
lette's Joint resolution extending the scope
Of the inquiry now being conducted by the
Interstate Commerce commission under the
| Tirman- Gillespie resolution so as to have it
| include the transportation and storage Of
grains.
! In support of his contentious Senator La
Toilette said that testimony taken by the
commission indicates a joint ownership be-
! tween the railroads and the elevator COM
| panies to the detriment of the farmers who
| are entitled to a free and open market. He
| then gave the names of individuals and cor
porations which had secured such inside
privileges as to give them monopoles along
various western railroad lines, the list given
| including the following
| The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific,
| Charles Counsclman; the Chicago, MIL
waukee g. st. Paul the Armour Elevator
| company; the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe,
the Richardson company; the Union Pacific,
1.-THE Peavey Elevator company; the Chicago
& Northwestern. the Bartlett Frazier
! Elevator company; Chicago. burlington g.
| Quincy the Armour Elevator company
| As going to confirm his inference OF a
combination. Mr.. la Toilette said that the
head of the Armour Elevator company is
a large stockholder and a director of the
| Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
| He then read a number of letters and
quoted various statements TO show that the
railroad companies favor some elevators to
| which they are friendly and discriminate
against others which not so we'll re-
garded by them. with the result that the
price OF wheat to the producer is far below
where It should be.
He declared that practically al the grain
shipped into Chicago over any one line
goes 10 one dealer and expressed the cyin-
ion that these wholesale dealers are closely
allied among themselves, thus constituting
a virtual monopoly Of the grain buainess
Of the country. Sens tor Nelson CONFIRMED
1.-THE statements OF Mr.. LaFoilette, RRylng
that he had personal knowledge OF many
instances of dtscrimlus tions by the rail-
roads In favor az line eleva tors HE had no
doubt. he said, THAI the investigation would
show the same combination between the
railroad companies and the elevator COM
panies that had been found to exist be-
tween the railroads and the coal companies
The resolution was then adopted without
division