The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-07
ATTACK ON TIE RATE BILL |Sena,s,r Elkins Speaks | im Opposition. |UA FOR VOTE NOT FIXED Mi. Aldrieh Objects to the Setting
 of a Date. Mr. Gamble Argue. In Favor of the Passage of the Pending Mcas-
 ure and MT. Hearst |. Against It.
TE FOR VOTE NOT FIXED

4 a Washington. April 6.--In making an effort today to get the Senate to agree upon date for taking a vote on the railroad rate bill. Mir. Tillman made the important statement that one week more probably would exhaust the gen. eral debate on the measure. He fail- ed, however, to secure the consent of Mir. AI1rich, who said that he would not be willing to agree to vote on the bill until 1t was more nearly perfected than 1t now is.
 During the day there were three speeches on the rate bill. The first of these was made by MT. Elkins, who while expressing the opinion that tho situation demands remedy. exhibited many defects in the pending bill. Mir. Gamble followed In support of the bill and Mir. Kean closed in oppo- sition.
 Mir. Eikins was frequently interrupt- ed and several colIoquies marked the progress of his remarks. No Senator being prepared to speak tomorrow. the Senate adjourned until Monday.
 Chaplain Hale was assisted by Bishop Johnston, of the Western Texas. dio cese of the Episcopal Church, in the religious service incident to the open ing of the Senate today.
 As soon as the routine business was disposed of, Mir. Ellclns took the floor to present his views on the railroad rate bill.
 Many Questions Asked.
 Notwithstanding MT. Elkins request ed, that he should not be interrupted, a number of Senators asked questions. Mr. Tillman was among the first to in- terfere with the delivery of the pre- pared speech. He made an inquiry con- cerning rate regulation and MT. Elkins replied that the South Carolina Sena- kx~ <-1sy~ ..f~.-. x-< A<.~ r..s- ship for the railroads. He declined to yield, however, which. elicited from MT. Tffinian the remark that he must not throw rocks without giving an op- portunity to the man that is struck to retaliate.
 A little further along, while MT. El- kins was discussing his amendments Mir. Patterson asked him if he thought the bill failed to cover ali the ground. and MT. Elkins replied that such was his opinion. 'sThe bill does not go far enough he added.
 There was general discussion of the West Virginian's suggestion requiring a proper distribution of cars of any given company, all agreeing that such an amendment would be difficult of en- actment. Mir. Tillman was among the Senators who participated in this con- troversy. During its progress, Mir EllSins referred to the pending bill as Mir. Tiliman's bill.
 Not Tilfman's BiII.
 MT. Tillman earnestly disavowed re- sponsibility of the measure and Mir Elkins responded: You have got 1t fastened on you with all the disgrace attending it."
 q repudiate the intimation that there is any disgrace attaching to an effort to secure a reasonable rate bill" responded MT .Tillman, and after he had enlarged somewhat on his attitude Mr.. Elkins replied that MT. TiIlman had an undue idea of his responsibility to the public. He said that his an- tagonist acted as If he thought he car ried the people in his vest pocket and must take them out every morning to asure them of his continued protection.
 "Oh," responded Mir. Tiilman, T hope the Senator is not disgruntled because some petitions have been sent me from his State concerning railroad condi- tions there"
 MT. Eikins declared he was not in the least troubled over the matter of the petitions, but added that he did feel disposed to protest against MT. Till mans attitude as the only friend of the people. He wanted 1t understood that he. too, was friend of the people.
 When MT. Elkins reached that por- tion of his speech which dealt with the question of relative rates as between cities there were further interruptions. MT. Gallinger read an amendment sug- gested by himself prohibiting inter- ference by the Interstate Commerce Commission with such rates and Mr. Elkins endorsed 1t as admirable. Mir Allison suggested that this was a most important feature
 Mfr. Foraker agreed as to the import ance of the point and said that the xxaNA AmAf ton wrrr. n.-. .s~TF. cinnati because of the discrimination of roads against that city in favor of New York in traffic with the Southern States.
 The Difficulties Great.
 Mir Tillman agreed that the difficult ties were great and expressed the opln- ion that only through the means of a fiat rate could all the difficulties in the way of the proper adjustment of the railroad situation be met He was pro- ceeding to exploit his views when Mir. Elkins made objection to interjecting a speech in his address Mir. TiIlman made complaint that his head was being cut off just behind the ears and sad that he would get even.
 The West Virginia Senator respond ed that he himself had some capacity for getting even. The two Senators were addressing each other directly and MT. Bacon made the point that they address the chair. The Vice-President decided the point well taken and Mir. Elkins proceeded with his speech.
 MT. Ellyins read excerpts from the newspaper reports of the recent opin ion of the Supreme Court in the Michi- gan tax cases. but said that he would await the official publication of the opinion before publishing the excerpts which related to the delegation of pow CT by a legislative body. While the question of the review by the courts of the findings of the Commission was under discussion by MT. Elkins, Mir. Patterson asked him if he did not think that the fact that when a commission of high-priced experts, such as 1t was expected the Commission would be, had passed upon a question, 1t would re- lieve the demand for an open door to the courts.
 Let me ask the Senator from Colo rado," said Mir. Spooner: Does he think that it is competent to make sne