The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-24

an agreement whereby the bill would be placed on the calendar as the un- finished business, ahead of the state hood bill They said they thought the prominence given the railroad rate ques- tion and in the interest the people of the whole United States have taken in it entitled the question to early con- sideratioh.
 It was agreed, however, on all sides that the discdssion must be prolonged and that undoubtedly it will be as bit ter as any that has ever taken place in the Senate All factions conceding the Hepburn bill will pass the Sen ate, the only contest wilf be. over an effort to incorporate into the bill some provision for court review of orders of the interstate commerce commis- sion.
 In discussing the action of the com mittee, Senator Deliver said tonight.
 DoIiivfr is Satisfied.
 The action of the senate committee is entirely satisfactory tQ me. The one thing about it which Is important Is the fact that 1t places the bill which the House passed with only seven dis senting votes, on the calendar of the senate where nothing can happen to 1t which does not happen in broad day light after full public discussion. The senators who favor this legislation care nothing who reports 1t. Their in tention is to set 1t reported and acted upon in an open and straightforward way"
 Senators Aldrich and Crane authoriz- ed the statement that four of the five Republicans who cast their votes against the btll would have voted for 1t if 1t had contained the addition of a provision for review by the courts of the findings of the commission. They ara Messrs. Elkins. Aldrich. Kean and Crane.
 Senator Foraker is opposed to the principle involved in the bill and would have voted against It even with the court provision added. but with that addition his would have been the only negative vote.
 Senator Tfllman who was designed by the committee to report the Hepburn bill said after the committee adjourned: 'It was unexpected and in one sense aa undesired honor and responsibility that was thrust upon mo. As far as I am able I will endeavor to secure the passage of the bill through the senate with such amendments as will make 1t more acceptable to the business in- terests of the country and remedy the evils which have produced such wide- spread agitation. The policy is es- sentially Democratic. The proposed bill had the unanimous support of the Democrats of the house and I hope that with few slight amendments 1t will get the same support in the senate"
 Carriers as Miners.
 Senator Tillman said that one of the most essential amendments he should endeavor to procure looked to "the ab- solute divorce of public carriers. IS such. from the production of coal as miners, which condition of monopoly has created such a strong feeling oi dissatisfaction and anger in the bitu. n1inous and anthracite coal regions"
 He has already drafted an amend ment covering this point. He said that something ought to be done tc compel the trunk liner to make con nection with spurs ana feeding lines and give them fatr treatment in the distribution of cars and offer equal facilities with other shippers.
 Senator Tillman stated that in mak- ing the report on the bill he would not prepare formal analysis for presenta- tion to the Senate. but that the report would simply transmit the action to the Senate altogether with the synop- sis of the testimony taken before the committee.
 Senator Elkins characterized 1t as q "soIecism'' to have a Democrat report from a Republican committee to a Re- publican Senate. a bill whish had been reported by a Republican committee Tn the House and passed by Republican House. He believed that the bill should have been In charge of Senator Dolll- yer who had insisted that it be report ed as 1t came from the House, ard especially as 1t was finally reported in that shape.