Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-24
RAILROAD RATE BILL
Mr.. Spooner Concluded His
Speech Yesterday.
Mr.. TILLMAN ALSO SPOKE
Made an Attack on the Federal
Courts.
JUDGE G0FF WARMLY DEFENDED
By Senator Scotia Lively Talk Be-
tween the Wisconsin and South
Carolina Senators.
JDGE GoFF WARMLY DEFENDED

s'tAiettC cIl the fd1ITOau rate Dill YeSt6rQa Y
afternoon. and the Notifications appropria-
ton bill was taken up and passed The bill
carries an appropriation of $4,000 for the
erection of powder mandatory, and Mr.
Daniel spoke at length in support of the
provision. He declared that the nation was
entirely at the mercy of powder trust
and urged that the amendment should be
adopted as safeguard. AS passed the bill
Carries an appropriation of $5,2TS. s93.
Mr.. I1llman also spoke on the rate bill.
suggesting that the interstate commerce
commission should have authority to enjoin
the railroads from increasing their rates
He said the suggestion had been made by
"cornfleld lawyer" in Oklahoma
Mr.. Spooner closed his speech with refer
ence to the danger which he believed ex-
lists of invalidating the rate bill by the
adoption of the Bailey amendment
Mr.. Clay asked Mr.. Spooner If he con-
tended that the bill would be declared I'M
constitutional if the proposed amendment
should be invalidated
II believe it would affect all that portion
OF the bill which authorizes the commission
TO fix rates" declared Mr. Spooner.
When Mr. Spooner took his seat Mr. Till
man complained of the fact that he had
not been permitted to ask questions, and
Mr.. Spooner said that it had been due to
illness that he had declined to consent to
the Interruptions. Mr.. Tillman said he
would accept those grounds, but again said
that it was departure from the usual
courtesy.
why, the senator knows that have not
made speech In three years that one-half
OF 1t has not been given over to him. re-
torted Mr.. Spooner.
Mr.. T1llman's argument was that if it
were not for distrust of the federal judges
and the arbitrary and tyranncal way in
which they exercised their powers there
would be no occasion for an amendment to
fA mob - LII, III -
issue injunction. He launched into gem
eral Indictment of the federal bench, from
the Potomac southwark and westward
Taking up the colloquy he had with Mr..
Wisconsin had ridiculed him as a ''cornfield
lawyer"
'Why, I got that from the senator him
SELF said Mr.. Spooner.
ooh, that is my phrase, | own it, said
Mr.. Tillman But the senator ridiculed
any advice 1 might give as much rs to
say: You are a nincompoop, sit down. "
Reading from a letter he received from
man he termed "corndeld' or cotton
patch lawyer from Norman, Okla, Mr..
Tillman said: Now this man wants to
know why, If you can enjoin the lowering
of rate, 1t is not possible to enjoin the
raising of a rate?" He followed this up
with number of other questions taken
from the letter, and said that the answer
was:
What is sauce for the goose is sauce
for the gander."
Looking at Mr.. Spooner the senator said:
Now, I represent the goose, and the sena-
tor from Wisconsin is speaking for the
gander."
Mr. Spooner interrupted and Mr. Tillman
said that If he wanted to follow the ex-
ample that had been set he might decline
to yield, but that in reality he welcomed
the interruption. OF course, he said, the
senator from Wisconsin has explained his
refusal, and then he probably wanted to
get off one dull speech, unillumined with
Tillmanisms.
mo, l wanted to get off one good speech"
said Mr. Spooner He said that he had not
intended to ridicule Mr.. Tillman, but said
that the object of his remarks would not
hire a cornfield lawyer to argue const-
tutional point
81 would not" replied Mr.. Tillman. "A
cornfield lawyer might beat you out on
principles, but he would go to flinders on
practice"
you want lawyer who could get into
court" said Mr.. Spooner as he was taking
his seat.
Powder Factory Ordered.
The rate bill was then temporarily laid
aside and the fortifications bill was taken
up in order to permit Mr. Daniel to address
the Senate in support of the committee
amendment providing for the construction
of a powder factory. Mr.. Daniel declared
that the manufacture of smokeless powder
was completely monopolized by the Inter
national Powder Company, and that not a
pound could be secured except from that
company. The United States could, he said,
build and equip four plants at S2500tD each,
pay for them out of the profits "extorted
from the government in the course of year
and have more than a million dollars left.
While the government pays from 10 TO 80
cents per pound the cost to the makers
does not exceed 30 cents per pound. On
the other hand, Gen. CroZier, chief of ord
nance, had testified before the committee
that the cost of smokeless powder at Indian
Head was about 60 cents pound, but Mr..
Daniel thought this an overestimate Mr..
Daniel said that he considered the nations
defenses to be seriously menaced by the
powder trust He declared that our bat
tleships carry powder sufficient only to
sustain fire of half an hour. We have
on hand only 100000 pounds of powder,
he said and declared that in case of war
1t would be soon shot into the air This he
did not consider q safe condition.
Mr.. Perkins said that the entire commit
tee on appropriations had been favorable to
the amendment, and he predicted that II
the proposed plant should be erected and
should prove successful others would speed
lily follow He also defended the army and
navy officers against the charge of prohting
by their inventions.
Mr.. Allison suggested the possibility of an
infringement of patent in case the govern
ment should enter upon the making OF
powder, because the patents for smokeless
powder are owned by the International
company.
The amendment was then agreed to and
the bill passed
The following bills also were passed.:
Consolidating the steamboat inspectors dis
tricts at Wheeling, w. Va, and Gallipoiis
Ohio, and creating district In Alaska
Providing for filing In the naval STATEN
at Honolulu.
Authorizing the state of Wyoming to re-
linquish certain lands and to select other
lands in lieu of them.
Dividing Nebraska into two judicial dis
tricts.
Also q number of bills authorizing the
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul Railroad
Company to construct bridges across the
Missouri. Yellowstone, Snake and Columbia
rivers.
The date of the memorial service in honor
of the memory of the late Senator Flatt Of
Connecticut was changed from the 18th to
the 14th OF April.
The Senate then at $50 went into execu-
tive session and at o.N adjourned until
Monday.