The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1906-05-09

ment This will be pleasing to the
country, and will be especially graft
flying to the republican party. Ii
will please the country because the
question has been before Congress
in one phase and another almost
from the beginning of the session
The House took the matter up early
and passed the Hepburn bill, after q
short discussion, by practically
unanimous vote. Then it went tc
the Senate and that chamber has il
still. There have been many weeks
of debate upon it in the Senate The
question has been discussed in every
phase which could suggest itself to
the enemies as well as to the friends
of rate regulation. Almost a hun
bred amendments have been propos-
ed to the Hepburn bill. The princi-
pal fight, however, between the en-
emies and the friends of rate regula-
ton has been on the court review
idea, and this point seems to be
skillfully dealt with by the Allison
proviso.
As all elements of the Republicans
are expected to support the Allison
amendment, that stipulation will be
called compromise But the Pres
dent, rs well as Speaker Cannon and
Representative Hepburn, the author
of the House measure, believe that
it is merely specific statement Of a
principle which is recognized in the
Hepburn bill, but not set forth in
express terms. 1t gives the courts
the right of review over the rulings
of the interstate commerce commits
sion in fixing maximum rates. The
President and most of the republi-
cans think the courts have this right
under existing law. If the Hep
burn bill should deny this privilege
most of the republican lawyers say
it would be declared void by the
courts. Mr.. Hepburn says his bill
does not assail that principle. The
President is of the same mind. Both
however, are willing to have the
principle stated specifically in the
bill, as the Allison proviso states it.
The amended bill will guard the
rights of both railroads and ship.
pers. Neither side will have any
legitimate cause for complaint when
this measure goes into operation.
This will be triumph in lawmak-
ing which will reflect credit on the
men who took the loading part in
shaping the statute.
The shifting of Aldrich, Foraker
aud Elkins into harmony with Dolli-
yer, Lodge, Cullom and the rest Of
the senators who favored the Hep
burn bill all the time means that all
the republicans of the Senate are
again in accord with the republican
President and the sepublican House.
Manifestly, this is matter OF vast
Importance to the republicans of the
country 1t means that at the open
ing of the congressional canvass the
republican party will be in line on
all the great issues There is no
politics in the rate regulation bill,
although the democrats have tried
to put politics into it. Probably
most of the democrats will oppose
the Allison proviso, but if they do
so, that will be SO much the worse for
the democrats. From present ap-
pesrances the modified Hepburn bill
which the President will sign will
please the country. 1t seems to be
Just TO all interests. As the repub
lican party has been legislatIng for
the greatest good of the greatest
number all along, it has been sue
cessful in making the country happy
and prosperous. No legitimate in
terest has been harmed by republi,
can legislation. Every interest that
has had any valid reason for exist
ence has been promoted and extend
ed by the work of the republican
party. The country will have ex-
cellent reasons for assuming that the
rate regulation statute will give sat
isfaction in operation. But if en-
forcement proves it to be faulty, the
party will quickly remedy its de-
fects. The law will in a large de-
gree, cover ground not previously
dealt with by any statute, and e1per-
/ ~ II