Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-01-05
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
Washington, January 8.

The names OF two Iowa men will be
attached to the railroad rate regu.
lation bill that passes congress. Sen.
ator Delivers measure Is now &C.
cepted as the most accurate express
sion of the administration policy
and is commonly called the admins.
tration bill. Congressman Hepburn,
chairman Of the house committee on
interstate commerce, Is well pleased
with the Dolliver measure and his
relations to the legislation are likely
to give him opportunity to divide with
the senator the honor Of naming the
proposed law. BY devoted friends
OF effective legislation the Dolliver
measure is regarded as the best thus
far proposed.
Much significance is attached here
to the fact that the Nebraska delega-
ton has datly announced that 1t will
vote for the Payne bill reducing
iuties on tobacco and sugar imported
from the Philippines to rs per cent OF
the Dingley rates, and wiping out
The duties on other Philippine pro-
lucts. AS Nebraska In one Of the
,eading beet sugar states, 1t was ex-
pected that the opponents Of the
Payne measure would get some
strength from that state. 1t is now
.egarded as assured that the bill will
pass the house, although desperate
effort will be made to beat 1t in the
senate.
The early announcement Of an
agreement between this country and
Germany whereby the threatened
tariff war will be averted Is expected.
1t was said in recent dispatch that
some hope existed Of mutual conces-
sions that would avoid the promised
tariff trouble with the German EN-.
pre- Matters have gone far enough
70 that tentative agreement has
been outlined as the result Of confer.
sador Sternbourg, head of the German
embassy here, Secretary Shaw and
others. Secretary Root has found
that the senate will not ratify new
trade treaty with Germany, and on
! the other hand Germany does not
want, despite her threats, to engage
in tariff war with America. If pres
ent plans are carried through, Ger
many will not impose new higher
duties on American goods after
| March 1. as she threatened to do. In
return, the consuls abroad will be re-
quested to exercise more care in fix
| t,,,. fho ,,I,o - - orfe,
rotary Shaw will also recommend to
congress that a more lenient law be
passed as to imposing penalties for
the differentiation Of goods. Nov
any underval-ation means cores
ponding penalty.
Strong protestations Of sincerity
were made by representatives of the
railroads west of Chicago when they
called upon the interstate commerce
commission few days ago and pre-.
sented the resolution adopted at Chi
cago declaring the purpose Of the rail-
roads to cooperate with the commits.
sion in the enforcement Of the laws
against rebates and other unlawful
practices. The interstate commerce
commission. in q statement given out
the same day, announced that while
the conference with the western rail-
way officials was Nnsought by the
commission its purpose was fegill-
mate and commendab1e and warrants
! the expectation Of effectual results.
The commission announces that 1t
has no reason to doubt the sincerity
of the western railroad officials, but
says that the proposed cooperation
probably will not result in the dis
continuance of the unlawful practices.
It is recalled by members of the com.
nilsson that the railroads have under
taken before to stop the granting OF
rebates, and have at times even gone
so far as to organize bureau, but
the efforts have never been complete.
ly successful, and soon have ceased.
The activity Of the Attorney Gen.
o-al in directing district attorneys to
prosecute railroad officials for viola
tons of the laws and the fact that
many indictments have been found
and a number soon will be returned
is ascribed in administration circles
as the cause Of the decision of the
railroads to stop granting rebates.
President Roosevelt is telling ali
callers that he wants effective rate
Legislation, and that he does not pro-
pose to accept compromise. Many
members of congress are receiving
letters from their constituents, pro.
Testing against any compromise. The
lpresident has let it be known that he
wants no compromise power, but "a
Ivors effective legislation that will
Igive the interstate commerce commits
sion power to control rates. He sane.
Itions the bill introdced by Senator
lDolliver, and believes that it would go
far to correct present evils. He re.
Igards 1t as practical solution Of the
present situation, and believes that
while 1t may have some defects, these
would easily be corrected by sue.
ceeding legislative bodies. The prin.
lcipal purpose of the president Is to
get into the law the idea of the con-
troll Of rates by a government com
mission. After that such amendments
can be made to the law as to make it
defective in all particulars.
No one is useless in this world who