Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-10
RAILWAY RATE BILL
An Early Vote on 1t is in Pros
pect. ...s
BRIEF CONFERENCE WORK
Expected, and the Bill Soon on Presi-
dents Desk for Signature.
LEGISLATION LOOKED FOR
Some Compromise on Statehood and
Philippine Tariff Bills-Free
Alcohol Measure to Pass.
LEGISLATION LOOKED FOR

An early vote on the railway rate bill Is
in prospect, and already the republican
leaders In the House and Senate are looking
forward to work Of the conference COM
mittee. 1t Is not believed that serious dis
agreement will arise between the two
Houses. as every one is desirious of closing
up the bill and getting ready for adjourn
ment of Congress.
1t Is thought the House will accept the
judicial review amendment agreed upon by
the senator's and the President. The 20.
k Of '"r. R." is relied upon to assure
the bill cordial welcome In the House,
and the reviewists have the President thor
oughly committed to their plan. The very
drastic amendment adopted yesterday pro-
hibiting coal-carryng railroads from own
ing and operating coal mines will not be
opposed in the House. Sentiment in that
body Is unanimously favorable to the
amendment, and 1t would have been offered
in the House, save that the bill was safe
guarded against all amendments by the
special rule from the committee on rules.
Work Of Conference Committee.
The work OF the conference committee,
it now seems likely, will be short, and the
bill will soon be on the Presidents desk
for his signature All during the proceed
ings there have been rumors that the
President would veto any bill that did not
meet the full measure of administration ap-
proval, but there is apprehension that
the bill as now framed will fail to please, as
he has lent his assent to the Allison amend
ment in advance, and that Is the crucial
feature of the whole bill.
Once the rate bill is out of the way the
statehood bill will take the center OF the
legislative stage, unless scheme which Is
being rlrmored as under consideration is
aA mt
the short session. However, earnest eff
forts will be made to prevent such an out
come, and If the conference committee
makes a report a compromise bill Is very
likely to result.
Philippine Tariff Bill.
The Philippine tariff bill is also coming
UP. It is now pigeonholed In committee,
but Secretary Taft has been working all
the week on a plan Of compromise. The
basis Of 1t Is a provision that sugar and
tobacco from the Philippines shall come
in at 30 per cent of the Dingley rates. and
that the clause providing free trade after
1909 shall be stricken out 1t Is considered
very probable that this agreement will be
reached. and that as thus modified the bill
will pass
The free alcohol bill is scheduled for pas
sage. Its prospects were not so favorable
until President Roosevelt took occasion In
his Standard Oil message to boom the al
cohol bill and to suggest It's passage to
provide one means of competition with the
oil trust The stock of the Distillers' Trust
jumped five points on the reading of the
Presidents recommendation, and has been
soaring ever since, as the distillers expect
to do great business after the removal OF
the tax on denatured alcohol. 1t Is a case
of ''dog eat dog" as the oil trust stock has
suffered while the distillers benefited.
Ship Subsidy Bill.
The friends Of the ship subsidy bill are
making great efforts to get their bill
through the House. but are not getting
along very well thus far. They will con-
tinue the fight to the end. however. for
they feel that If something is not done at
this time after all the hearings of the
shipping commission, the cause of the
American merchant marine may as well be
abandoned for good.
The pure food bill is going through. but
will be somewhat disfgured The friends
of the measure will be glad to get some
thing even II they cannot get all they
want They think that this federal legisla-
ton will form the basis for uniform legis-
lation in the states which may be little
more drastic, and that in the end the public
will be protected from a great deal Of adul-
terated food and drink.