The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-23
BALK AT COURT REVIEW.
That Featrse of Hepburn Railroad Rate
Bill Seems Bugaboo to the
Senate Committee.

ave have heard as many opinions
on the railroad question as there are
members Of the committee, and each
man is afraid to bring the court re-
view feature to vote" said Chair
man Elkins Friday when the senate
committee on interstate commerce ut
Washington adjourned until next
Thursday without having taken
vote on a bill or considered an amend
ment for judicial review of orders OF
the interstate commerce commission.
This statement was made in the
presence of Senators Dolliver and
Clapp, who are contending for the
Hepburn bill in the form that it came
from the house. 1t was said in jest,
but it is believed that it more nearly
expressed the situation than any pre-
vious alleged authoritive announce
ment. The committee agreed that i'm
portant amendments will not be voted
on until Friday of next week.
Ostensibly the committee adjourned
because Senator Tillman was sudden
ly taken i'll with threatened pneumonia
and could not be present, and because
Senator CullOm will return from Flor
ida some time next week and cast his
vote in the committee. The real rea-
son for adjournment is believed to be
the attitude of certain democratic
members in not disclosing their posi-
tons on the court review feature. Mel
ther republican faction in the commit
tee was certain of the outcome and a
vote therefore was not insisted upon
Without taking up the question Of
judicial review of orders of the COM
mission, the committee considered
many amendments offered to other
sections of the house bill. Senator
Carmack offered an amendment in
creasing the interstate commerce COM
mission from five to nine. This amend
ment was adopted by vote Of six to
five, as follows:
Af1irmative-EI kins, A1orich, Kean,
Carmaclz, Foster and Crane.
Negative Dolliver, Clapp,
McLaurin and Newlands.
Tt was agreed, however, that
Messrst Cullom and Tillman may have
their votes recorded on this amend
ment and this may change the re-
suit, though this is not believed likely.
Several amendments were suggested
providing for both inclusion and ex-
ciusion of express companies and pro-
prietary cars under the bin, but no
action was taken. There was also a
number of amendments offered to sec
ton 1 of the Hepburn bill, on the sab
ject of what is known as joint rates.
No amendments were offered at the
session which had an ybearing upon
the court features affecting rates fix
ed by the commission. 1t had been
said that Senator Knox would pre-
pare an amendment on the subject &C
ceptable to the president, but this ru-
NOR could not be confirmed.
Both republican factions express the
belief that Attorney General Moody
is the presidents chief advisor on
the subject of pending railroad rate
legislation and he is opposed to any
amendments looking to the retrial of
any case after the commission has in
vestfgated a rate and corrected it,
If found to be unjust or discriminative
Senator Tillman has served notice
upon the interstate commerce commit
tee that he will press for an amend
nsent to the pending rate bill under
the terms of which express companies
and Pullman cars will not be placed
under the control of the interstate
commerce commission.