Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-14
EVEN SPLIT IN COMMITTEE
McLaurin, Democrat, Classed With
the Republicans.
BAILEY'S EFFORTS IN VAIN
Seeking Solid Party Opposition to the
Provision on Which the
Lines Are Drawn.

The pNpOse of members OF the oeuate
committee on interstate commerce In reia-
ton to their action on pending railroad rate
legislation are sufficiently well-defined at
this time to permit quite an accurate state
ment of what their vote Will be next Friday
II they are able on that day to dispose OF
the pending bills There is now but one
question before the committee over which
there is any difficulty in reaching an agree
ment 1t relates solely to the proposition
that has been made by majority of the
republican senators on the committee Tor
the amendment of the Hepburn bill by the
insertion of a paragraph providing for ali
appeal from the decision OF the interstate
commerce commission to the courts.
All other questions might be disposed OF
by the committee in an hours sitting. They
are of little consequence. relatively, and
senators on both sides of this question could
readily come to an agreement concerning
them. But the issue has been so clearly oe-
fined on the subject of the proposed reVle"
by the courts of the decisions of the COM
mission that every senator on the committee
appears to be thoroughly fixed In his idea
as to what should be done
The Division in Committee.
Republican senators who advocate such
an amendment are Mr.. Ell<ins. chairman OF
the committee: Mr. Aldrich. Mr.. kean, Mr..
Foraker and Mr.. Crane. On the democratic
side there is but one senator, Mr.. McLaurin,
who favors An appeal amendment.
Senators who oppose such an amendment
are all the democrats except Mr.. McLaurin
being Mr.. Tillman, Mr. Carmack. Mr.. Eos
ter and Mr.. Newlands, together with three
republicans, Mr.. Cullom, Mr.. Dolliver and
Mr.. Clapp.
Senator Cullom is still in Florida. and it
was stated today that he was greatly I'M
proved and expected to return to this city
next week.
According to this situation, the strength
of the committee it will be divided when
the amendments to the bill voted upon
will be six IN favor of an appeal amendment
and six opposed to an appeal amendment.
The democrats have labored very hard on
Mr.. McLaurin In order to bring him over to
their side, and they claim that he is the
only democratic senator who opposes MS
party I'm this matter. 1t is understood that
Senator Bailey who has taken leading
part in the effort to soldify the demo-
cratic vote in the Senate, has expended all
his eloquence upon Mr.. McLaurin in vain.
The feeling on the democratic side Is now
so intense in this matter of having the
democratic vote cast solidly for what may
be termed democratic measures that any
senator who undertakes to step aside and
exercise his Judgment in opposition TO this
feeling will find himself in practically the
position that has recently been occupied
by Senator Patterson of Colorado.
But on the republican side there is a
good deal of doubt as TO whether the demo-
cratic vote. when the rate legislation gets
In the Senate, can be marshaled against
an amendment to provide an appeal clause
in the bill There is the belief that a num-
her of democratic senators whose views
have not yet been fuzzy stated will brave
the criticism of their own party and act
with the majority of the republicans.
But up TO the present time Mr.. McLaur1n
is the only democrat who beyond all ques-
ton proposes to vote for an appeal amend
ment.