The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1906-05-24


minus.
Mr.. Rayner said that he would not
pretend to make an assault upon the
president or pretend to charge him
with selfish or dishonest purpose, but
that the processes of reasoning,
through which he reached a conclu-
sion were SO changeable that it was
impossible to follow him. He said
that he resembled an unadjusted ka-
leidoscope whose rejecting surfaces,
after shaking it up frequently, ex-
hibit its beautiful colors in symmetri-
cal form, but after you have adjust
ed and focused it it flies into its orig
inal fragments and resolves itself in
to its component parts. He said this
was great era for natural disturb
ances and that the president seemed
to be somewhat jealous of the earth
quakes and volcanic eruptions that
had taken place and was going
through sort of meteoric perform
ance himself, Illuminating the horizon,
but tearing through space Oblivious
of where he was going. Mr.. Rayner
said he (Rayner) was perfectly SER
ious in his expectation that, owing to
these peculiar fancies Of the presi-
dent, he would change his whole posi-
tien again, unless the senate ad-
journed on him and prevented it.
In concluding his remarks about
the president, Mr.. Rayner said he
might have reunited his party on the
floor of the senate, but that he had
unhappily divided the people.
Says Amendment is Fatal
When he came to discuss the Ali
son amendment Mr.. Rayner said he
hesitated to vote for the bill and had
never supported measure of this
sort with more reluctance, because he
thought the words contained in the
amendment were fatal.
Mr.. Rayner insisted in the strcng-
est way that this unfortunate amend
ment destroyed the efficiency of the
entire measure and that, in his judg.
ment, if it is finally adhered to I'VE
might as well abolish the commission
and ring down the curtain on the
comedy"
Il deplore the fact" said Mr.. Ray
ner, "of the presidents interference
regret it with all my heart and /
am sorry for it. He has debilitated
and mutilated this measure, while if
he had only persisted in his purpose
few days longer, united senate, in
response to the voice of a united peo-
pie, would have put upon the statute
book law that would crafty their
expectations and respond to the ext
gencies of the hour
Senator Teller expressed the opin-
ion that the bill as amendment by
the senate was much better measure
that when il came to the senate. He
expressed regret that there had been
an effort to give the bill partisan
coloring and denied the right of the
president to call senators or members
to the White House and instruct or
request them how to conduct them
selves. He would, however, give the
president credit for giving life to the
measure, for without that initiative
he did not believe the republican
party would have permitted the pas
sage of the measure.
Senator Foraker said there were
some sections that he would like to
see enacted into law and that if he
could vote upon those sections as
such he would be relieved of great
perplexity. He, however, had an I'M
changeable opinion on the right of
congress to enter upon the rate max
ing power and could not secure his
own assent to cast an affirmative vote
for the measure as a whole. Hence,
though he stood alone, he meant to
cast his vote against the bill, know
ing if he voted alone he had support
in the real convictions of many other
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