Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-07-07

@RORABLY more new ana eA-
traordinary questions nave peen
under consideration by the con-
gross which began its legislative
Hfe Dec. 4 last than by any previous
session of our national lawmaKlns
hodv Not counting the many acts Ia
xorobly reported to or passed by either
hronch and left in Gate of suspended
animation. their fate TO be Determined
nv the next session, the amount anu
character Of new laws enacted make
che Fifty ninth congress the miies'one
pf n new era in the history OF Aineri-
can institutions.
rho dav of the nation has come;
..o+o ond local mowers are on the wane
or In small favor. Commercial and In
dustrial concentration having brought
about new opportunities for abuse or
privilege. and the muck rakers having |
walked up the public mind to the vari- |
Gus existing evils, President Roosevelt |
found in this congress workable SOIL
for the growth of fec - ~ $ III
dealing with those evil ress
of the presidents mint 10
all the more important remeules adopt
ed Neither friend nor foe in the polit-
ical arena will question the statement
that the work of the session bears the
Rooseveltian stamp, although the Dem
Ocrats all along have pointed out that
the president was merely camping
along the trail blazed ny :hH'~ arty
.lo+fo-nS Nevertheless ent'S
party, being in the M "' Ooth
ends of the capitol hao ..,u~4 taken
the credit or been forced to assume re
sponsIbillty for what was done even
when aided by Democratic votes.
Railroad Rate Regulation.
The keynote was struck unmistaka-
bly, In the message which congress re-
ceiyed at the opening Of the session.
namely. the insistence on federal nA-
ing of interstate railroad rates as well
as the prevention of rebates or any
x,nd of special favors Rate bills of
various kinds and descriptions were
promptly introduced in both senate
and house; but, the house majority be
ing under better discipline, the Dill
was more promptly formulated there
which was approved at the White
House 1t was fathered by Represent
atiye Hepburn of Iowa as chairman OF
+he committee on Interstate commerce.
1T was so modified in the committee as
10 come before the house without Dem
ocratic opposition, and after rev
DAYS of perfunctOry discussion IT was
passed on Feb. s by the almost unam-
nous vote of 346 to I, the seven OppO-
nents all being Republicans. AS passed
IL gave the interstate commerce COM
mission full power to regulate inter-
state freight tariffs without express
recognition of the rights OF appeal IN
the court. This, however, was only the
foundation of the law that was to go
to the statute book.
In the senate the Hepburn bill was
destined to run the gantlet OF nerce
opposition from conservative factioh
of the Republicans led by Aldrich ana
Foraker and become the football or
personal and party chickering's over a
period of three months. The main point
of the dispute was the question OF d
broad or narrow court review pro-
vision. and at one time, after the presl-
dents political and personal enemy,
Tillman. had been placed In charge OF
the measure, there was tacit coalition
between the president and the minority
Later, however, the president accepted
the compromise Allison amendment,
upon which his party associates mad
agreed. vesting jurisdiction in the cir
cult courts to eniOin, set aside, annul
or suspend any order Of the commits
sion on appeal Of the carrier concerned
II was at this time that the Democratic
leaders charged the president with bad
faith on the strengh of representations
said to have been made through eX
Senator Chandler. Finally the bill
with sixty-seven amendments, passed
the senate May Is by vote OF II 10 8
Still further changes were made II
conference thereafter The senate con
ferees held out against the house pro
posal to drop the clause placing pipe
lines under federal control. AS thl'
WAS uuUll1 uSlCSO " ~ '~~~ ~
house, the pipe lines are to be regard
ed as common carriers, but are no
prohibited from carrying their owl
products. Railroad and railway mai
employees are exempted from the anu
pass amendment. The president sign
ed the bill June 20.
investigations and Inspections.
In both branches bills were intro
duced early authorizing investigation
of the railroad mOnOpOlies, and com
bination Of these known as the Tillman
Gillespie Campbell measure passed tn
house Jan. % and though signed b.
the president, was sharply criticised D
him for not carrying funds and due at
thorlty. The money was appropriate
later, and under this authority the IL
terstate commerce commission mas a
ready unearthed vast amount G
graft and crookedness in railroad an
oil industries.
The Dure food bill, which passed Tn