Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-04-11
FROM WASHINGTON.
Railroad Rate Legislation the All
Absorbing Topic at Present.

concerned now in shaping thst legislation.
The speeches, delivered in the Senate
from day to day, are far from being the
most attractive features. Some of the
speeches few of them, as a matter OF
fact are sufficient to hold one spellb1und
in the galleries Most OF the lawyers have
had or viii have their innings. They
speak for the most part on lossl and con-
siitutional matters, in which the rate
question abounds.
| OF course much that the lawyers say is
very important in determining what sort
Of legal provisions in this very important
bill shall be adopted. The legal provis-
| ions will have TO be fashioned by the
lawyers. The non-lawyers do not claim
the ability to properly draw such legis-
lation.
But every day there are signs of many
other things doing in the work of framing
up rate bill. Every day there are con-
! ferences Of groups ON the floor of the
| Senate The broad court review repub-
| licans gather at the desks and talk ear
/ nesily. The limited court review re-
publicans gather likewise on occasion.
/ The democrats, who are as badly divided
! in their minds about what a proper rail-
road rate regulation bill should be as the
republicans, likewise have their extended
| talks.
Then senators go frequently into COM
mittee rooms where there are more talks.
Frequently they go into the committee
room of Senator Aldrieh, OF Rhode Island,
which Is in the corner. opposite the Sem
ate chamber. Sometimes they gather in
the committee room OF Senator Hale,
which is directly over the committee
room OF Senator Aldrich. But the meet
ings in Senator Hale's room are more for
the purpose of reviewing what has been
done or for planning out what general
policies shall be pursued.
The meetings in Senator Aldrich's room
are. as rule, for the purpose of carrying
some plan into execution, for talking over
with a certain senator what he Is willing
to do in supporting certain phase of the
bill, and for bringing senators to agree.
Senator Crane, of Massachusetts, the man
who keeps the check lists of how the sem
ators are ranging themselves in the fight
and of how the allignments change, goes
often to Senator Aldrich's room, and also
often to Senator Hale's room. He is ae-
tive in all the councils.
Senator Aldrich has taken up the work
Of adjusting the views OF senators on some
given proposition that will be as nearly
acceptable to all as possible, very agrees
lively within the last few weeks. He is
man of strong personality, and when he
gets hard at work always produces results.
Senators of both parties believe in him,
and notwithstanding the many harsh
things that are said of him, he is a very
remarkable man.
Senator Hale, whose leadership in the
Senate is recognized, has held aloof from
the active work of comforting with indi-
vldual senators. But an the important
consultations over the bill he is and has
been very influential. All the decisive
moves are made known to him in advance.
There are many gray heads In these
earnest talks, for the gray heads ara wise
in council and have been through so
many hard legislative fights that they
know better what is wise TO do than the
younger men who hays had less experience
sld therefore are less Srusted.
The country generally does not realize
how fsr-resehing the legislation may be.
Ii Affects millions upon millions of rail-
road property, held by people of moderate
meaas, as vssil as millions upon millions
of railroad property bssd by people CT
largS wealth.. who, however, would not liz
realsF suffnz as much frcr1 drastic or un-
fair laws as those who have less Of this
worlds COCOA
But the Legislation prorsse1 viii have a.
far-reaching effect upon the tsansporta-
tion os The esantry with reference to the
thousands of communities The example
of New England rs often cited, for ii is
said thai "a liz cad rates eoald he made by
an arbitrary commission vShich would de-
popula Ia every large city ia New England,
except Boston
Ii is natural that senator's should differ
materially In handling sssch momen-
tous question They differ slways on
tariff, nut probably the rste regulation
bill, wlainh wlia be enacted into Law be-
fore the session Is over, VIII be felt more
in certain. sections of the country than
any tariff bill since the Cixl war.
The conferences which. one sees about
the capitol are only part of those held.
Senator's are frequently IN consultation.
with the President. 1t isRothing unusual
for telephone messages from the White
House to be resolved at the capitol asking
some SENATOR to drop around at / o'clock
in the afternoon, which IS just before tho
Presi0snt starts for irzAcbeon, or at 3
o'cloex in the afternoon which is ahsas
the fasnE he returns to liss Offices, or st 8
o'closlG in the evening, which is a5sat
the ainle he is througis with his dinner.
1t is also nothing unusual for senator's to
gather at some one Of their residences
in the evening to talk over what has. been
doue during the day on to lay out. plans
for the following dag.