Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-26
,TEHooD BILL HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY
Not Expected However, that 1t VIII Pre-
vent Debate on Railroad Measure,
)RAKER TO MAKE THE FIRST SPEECH
Expected He Will Present Legal Argument
on Court Appeal Feature.
MUCH SPECULATION ON FINAL RESULT
House VIII Devote the week 60 the
Discussion OF Appropriation
Measures. with Possible
Clash on Army Bill.

! WASHINGTON, Feb 25.-From the time
/ that Senator Tillman presents his report
/ on the railroad rate bill today until that
measure shall have been finally disposed
| Of by the senate that bill will actually.
! IL not technically. occupy the foremost
place on the senate calendar. From the
beginning OF the session the rate regula-
/ ton question has received eager attention
whenever the subject has been approa ched.
even though in an informal way, as has
been the case on several occasions, and
the formal reporting of the measure viii
necessarily intensity the interest in It.
There Is no prospect of Immediately
displaying the statehood bill. but there
have been many utima tions that such
course might be pursued il that bill fails
to be acted upon when few weeks later
senators generally fnd themselves PR
pared to enter what all have believed from
the beginning the real conflict OF the
session All senators, whatever their in
dividual view, unite in considering the
railroad question as the most Important
before congress and friends and oppo-
nents OF the IIepburn-Dolliver bill alike
unite in the desire to have IT taken up
as promptly as possible. There will he
lul after the final report is made because
all who expect to participate in the do
bate feel the necessity for sufficient time
to prepare for the conflict. With this
preparation once made 1t now looks as 4
no other subject less seriously considered
would be allowed to stand in it's way.
Much Discussion IL Expected.
Even during this period OF preparation
the rate question will not be permitted
to remain in complete obscurity. There
will be references TO it from time to time.
and II the future be judged from the
past every mention of II on the floor will
provoke discussion. 1t is not probable
that the presentation of the report to-
morrow will precipitate debate. and 1t is
we'll known that several members of the
committee on interstate commerce by
which the bill has been under consldera-
ton. will take this opportunity to explain
, their votes in committee. This line o:
E proceeding will not be permitted to go
, beyond 2 O'Clock however. for ~ at that
! hour the statehood bin will have right-of-
r way and cannot be displaced except with
1 the consent OF its friends.
! ! On Wednesday Senator Foraker will take
the floor with prepared speech on the
railroad question. His will be the first
formal speech on the subject subsequent
to the reporting of the bill. SO far as
a announcement has been made the Ohio
senator stands in opposing all railroad
= legislation along the lines OF the Hepburn
Dolver bill. He has Heretofore announced
2 his position and IT Is understood that his
S speech is intended to be a legal exposi-
d tion of the reasons for his attitude. Many
= Interruptions of his address will undoubt-
$ edly occur and IL Is doubtful whether he
! will he able to conclude in one day.
g Speculation on Fate of Bill.
q There is already much speculation as 10
: the prospects of the rate bill. The most
II generally accepted view is that II will
.' be amended by the senate in some par
ticular. Some of the democratic members
of the interstate commerce committee have
expressed the opinion that there should
y be changes in the bill. and It is not prob
able that they will alter their minds sim
ply because the consideration of the meas
ure has been transferred from the COM
mittee room to the senate floor. The same
may be said Of the republican members
e of the committee who voted against re-
y porting the bill and other republican SEN
u ators. II is apparent that the crucial
IS amendment will he the adoption OF an
appeal clause, and on that there will UNI
+ duestionaby he determined conflict.
e Friends OF such a modification assert
a thirty-three republican senators are favor
able to the addition OF this provision and
l. some OF the democrats have in the past
IT stated that they would regard such a
'r clause with favor.
= Debate Statehood.
l. Senators Beveridge and Nelson who
have the statehood bill in charge, will not
admit the possibility OF displacement even
= I'm the remote future, and they will do
% their utmost to press it's considera tion.
Mr. Beveridge IS temporarily absent. bur
= Senator Nelson will insist Monday that
nothing shall stand in the way OF sena
- tor Dicks proceeding with his speech IN
> support Of joint statehood. The FIRST half
Of the speech was delivered more than a
y week ago, and Mr.. Dick sought IN vain
all last week 20 secure an opportunity
for its conclusion. Mr.. Dick WIN be fol
loved by Mr. Long aud Mr. Hopkins in
support Of the bill and probably by some
: OF the democratic members OF the com
mittee on territories in opposition sena.
~ tor Foraker will press his a-lendn,ent foI
a separate vote for Arizona on admission
le and will try TO secure an agreement q
vote az an early day. but the friends ~
- the bill as IL stands will not conceds
!, that principle until further discussion and
= possibly not at any time unless there Z.
H. an agreement on the bill at the sam.
dme With the Foraker amendment
% adopted the measure could be disposed Of
o. at any time, and some senators sueges
o. this AZ the most feasible way of Eettine
l. # out Of the way Of the railroad bin
Senato~ Clapp as chairman ~ the cor,
: mittee on Indian affairs will try durins
. the week 10 get action for the settIestent
.: of the affairs Of the five civilized tribes
but there IL opposition To some of IN.
W provisions Of that bin and IL Is not IN,
- probable that there viii be considerable,
M debate on it.
n, Appropriation BIIIs
The fortihcations appropriation bin vii
" be reported during the week and probabl,
~ taken up 10y the senste.
The delayed consideration Of the arm,
y, appropriation VIII be resumed as IN
u chief topic of legislation In the hous. q
rE representatives this week The bill vii
be taken up for amendment on Tuesday
." and Chairman HUI says there will b.