The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-06
BILL GOES BACK
TO THE CONFEREES
Senator Foraker Will Insist on
Explanation
RATE BILL NOT NECESSARY
Ohio Senator Claims Elklns Law Is
Sufficient and Quotes Recent De-
cision in Milwaukee Apply
ing That Law.
RATE BILL NOT NECESSARY

Washington, June 5-During the eonsid-
Grafton today of the conference report on
the railroad rate bill in the Senate Mr..
Foraker indicated a purpose to insist upon
an exclamation of the change made by
the conferees in including lateral or
branch lines among those upon whose re-
quest common carriers shall be required
to nut In switches or switch connec-
tions.
Senator Tiuman had explained amend
ments upon which he thought 1t possi-
bile points of order could be made be-
cause of the presence of new matter but
had not included the amendment in ques-
ton. When Mr.. Tillman expressed the
opinion that the eonferees had not trans
crossed their authority in this matter the
Ohio senator dissented saying the sug-
gestion had been made In the Senate and
had been voted down and that 1t was
clearly new matter. He, therefore, thought
the Senate should be told why the change
had been made. Senator Tillman replied
IT was because of 1.-The tyrannical and out
rageous conduct of the trunk lines In
such cases as that of the Red Rock
company in West Virginia."
Senator Tfllman was of the opinion that
the only conference change against which
a point of order will lie is that extend
ing for sixty days the time when the
rate bill shall go into operation. That
he conceded, was clearly out of order, but
he said 1t had seemed necessary in view
of general confusion that follows an
effort to carry the bill into immediate
effect
Criticises the Conferees.
The report was then temporarily laid
aside and the Senate took up and passed
the naval appropriation bill Returning
| again to the railroad rate bill, Senator
I Foraker criticised the conferees on ac-
! count of new matter injected by them
| into the measure, saying that the con-
| ferees were not legislators, but mere in
! termedaries. He also objected to the
change In the anti-pass provision making
! especial complaint of the elimination of
| railroad employees from the privilege of
| free transportation. Mr.. Foraker found
| fault with the additional provision pro-
| hibiting discrimination for or against pas
| sengers on account of color He said
| several negroes had complained of the
provision as a recognition of the Jim
crow" laws of the south. but such had
not been the intention, the only purpose
| DelnB TO proper treatment ipi
all where the 'jm crow system pre-
vailed
Complaints From South.
Mr.. Foraker having said that he had
received complaints concerning the char
acter of the railroad accommodations sup
piled negroes in the southern states Sen
ators Bailey of Texas and Bacon OF
Georgia denied that any discrimination
is practiced in their respective states in
the character of the cars supplied.
Mr. Ti1lman said the amendment was
the last yielded by the Senate conferees
and expressed the hope that the Senate
would instruct the conferees to insist on
its amendments.
Senator Foraker also returned to his
contention that the rate bill was not nee
essary legislation but that all that was
requisite was to strengthen the El<ins
law. He quoted a recent decision of the
federal court in Wisconsin in the matter
of refrigerator cars putting an end tC
all devices for rebates on account Of
such cars and holding that railroads mus
hold strictly to their published tariffs
I'm view of this decision we have no more
use for this legislation than a wager
has of five wheels he said.
The matter was still under considera.
ton when the Senate adjourned