The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-05
PRESIDENT FACES DEFEAT.
NO HOPE FOR HIS AMENDMENT
TO RAILWAY RATE BILL.
Nothing Short Of q Liberal o Review
Provision VIII he Approved by Republic
can Standardization Over Execu.
tive Interre renee Wit Legislation.

WASHINGTON, April 4.-Everybody In
the Senate now understands that there
is no hope for the adoption of the Admins
tration's amendment to the railway rate
bill for a limited court review. How those
who claimed that the amendment would
have the votes Of twenty-nine Of the fifty
six available Republican Senators arrived
at their conclusions Is a mystery.
Twelve Of the twenty-nine understood to
rave been on the list Of the rate legis-
lation radicals we're and are for a liberal
court review provision, and there is a strong
probability that some Of the remaining
seventeen will not support the Administra-
tion's proposal.
If the Republican advocates Of con-
ferring upon the Federal judiciary the
fullest authority to pass upon the rate
fixing cases appealed from the Interstate
Commerce Commission were ever worried
about the claim that a majority Of Repub-
lican Senators would vote for the provi-
sion approved at the White House confer
ence lyst Saturday, they are not showing
any resentment over having been April
fooled. On the contrary, they are dis
posed to be generous toward their oppo-
nents and lave resumed their efforts to
effect a virtual compromise that will prevent
party disintegration in the upper house.
The compromise they are willing to ar
range will not, however, embrace any sur
render Of principle, but will be confined
TO a recasting Of the phraseology OF the
court review amendment that may be
fairly satisfactory to both factions in the
Republican camp. At the same time the
conservative Republican leaders have let
it be known to their party colleagues h
favor the Administration idea of restricted
judicial authority that the latter, COM
prising only a minority Of the Republican
side Of the Senate, must not assume, as
they apparently nave done, to dictate
to the majority OF that side, and that II
concessions are to be made they would
come with better grace from the weaker
faction.
In spite Of the disclaimer made yesterday
by senator Long Of President Roosevelt's
authorship Of the limited review amend
ment agreed upon at the White House con-
ference and proposed by Mr.. Long many
Senators insist that the President must be
regarded as the sponsor for the amend
ment. Democratic Senators are particu-
larly irritated over what they contend Is a
case of executive interference with legisla-
ton and for that reason IL for no other
they are disposed to object to the PROPOSE
ton advanced by Mr.. Long. In common
with some Republican Senators many Of
the Democrats hold that the Senate should
be permitted to change the rate bill in its
W way without suggestion from the
White House. This attitude on the part
of their Democratic associates has greatly
cheered the conservative Republican leaders
and they are feeling very happy to-day
over the prospect of securing the %incorpora-
ton in the Hepburn measure Of a provision
that will specifically give the courts the
fullest and freest examination into rate
fixing orders of the Interstate Commerce
Commission.