Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-07
DISCUSSED BY SEN ATE
CONFERENCE REPORT ON THE
RAILWAY RATE BILL.
Considerable Attention Given to the
Anti-Pass Amendment Made
by Conferees.

When the conference report on the rail-
road rate bill was taken up in the Senate
yesterday afternoon Senator Pettus called
attention to section five relating to dam
ages, saying that 1t is unconstitutional and
discriminatory and therefore in violation of
the spirit of the bill itself. The matter Is
not In controversy and the defect, II 1t be
such, cannot be remedied.
The antl-pass conference amendment re-
ceived the attention of Senator Spooner.
In the main, he Endorsed the prohibition of
passes, but he contended that there should
be exceptions, including railroad employees
Congress had no right, he said, to step be-
tween employer and employee.
Senator Tfllman replied that the Senate
conferees had found 1t necessary to accept
the pass provision as reported in order to
get anything, the House representatives re-
fusing to accept any other wording.
Present Law Favored.
Mr. Knox suggested that the law of 1895 is
ADEQUATE. Thereupon Mr.. Tillman asked
why the senator had broken out in new
place and had run amuck on the pass ques-
ton, but Mr.. Knox replied that mot hav-
ing INDUCED in that pastime he could not
reply
Senator Cullom, one of the Senate con-
gent provision reported and favored nom
interference with the present law.
Mr. Spooner also spoke of the Importance
OF Including the members of the railroad
Y. NJ. c. A. as persons entitled to passes
and Mr.. TilIrnan suggested that 1t was nee
essary to draw the line somewhere. He
would have the exceptions limited to rail-
road employees and their families and Sena-
tor Hale presented the same view.
- .xlo zzA, rnt5
the latter sit Is diff1cult TO find a stopping
place. II you except one you must except
others" He had heard Of abuses OF the
pass system, which had been great sur
prise to him.
Mr. Spooner.s remarks were interpreted
By Senator Tiliman structures upon the
Senate conferees, but the former disavowed
any such intention. Mr.. Tillman called at
tention to the fact that forty-five of the
ftfty-one amendments made by the Senate
had been accepted and said IL it had been
possible to do more 1t would have been
done
Senator Lodges Criticism.
Senator Long criticised on other grounds
the action of The conference committee In
emitting the words .wiIfuIiy and knowing
ly'' from the penal clauses of the bill. say
ing that to leave the words out would work
a great injustice to railroad officials.
through nadvertence carelessness or mall
Ice on the part of others
Senator Rayner spoke especially against
| the use of the word s.wiIfnlly,n expressing
the opinion that If the retention of the word
| is insisted upon 1t WITH be Impossible to OBJ
tain conviction under the law
| Senator Bailey found fault with the onnis-
| sion of sleeping companies from the
/ bill. saying that the sleeping car company
! Is the only absolute monopoly in the coun-
try.
| Mr.. Morgan contended that under the pro-
posed law the railroads could give passes
| from one state to another
According to that reasoning suggested
Mr.. TiIlman. Congress IS powerless to sup
press the abuse
TT Is not an abuse retorted the Ala
bamH senator. and he added that Congress
has no more right to deny street car
company the right to entertain guest than