The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-27

days Developments in connection with
the railroad rate problem in the sem
ate committee on interstate commerce
continued to be the uppermost topic
about the capitol today. There were
comparatively few senator's in their
committee rooms, but those who were
here were busily engaged in discussing
the situation. Among the most active
were Senators Aldrich. Dolliver, Clapp
and Elkins, all members of the inter-
state commerce committee. Senator
Tillman, to whom was so unexpectedly
assigned the duty of reporting the bill,
was detained at his home by illness,
communication with him over the tele-
communication with him ovr the tele-
phone. He told them that he had a
slight cold, but felt no doubt that he
would be able to appear in his seat IN
the senate on Monday when he would
report the bill as directed by the COM
mittee.
The unexpected assignment of Mr..
Tillman to this duty received as much
attention as the sudden determination
to report the bill. Members of the
committee were full of "reminiscences,
of the meeting, and not the least in
teresting of these was the story of the
details of Mr.. Tillman's selection. HIS
name was proposed, as has been stat
ed, by Senator Aldrich but he was
not mentioned in that connection un-
til after considerable discussion of the
advisability of the selecting some one
else for the service. The first inten-
ton was to confer the honor upon
Senator Cullom. as the Oldest member
of the committee, but when he cast
his fortunes with the advocates Of the
straight Hepburn Dolliver bill. the ma
jority of the republicans manifested
an inclination to drop him, and Sem
ator Elkins, the chairman of the COM
mittee, was suggested. Senator Clapp
then made the point that a supporter
of the bill should be chosen to report
it to the senate and take charge of 1t.
Then Senator Aldrich, representing
the five republican opponents of the
measure, Immediately fell in with this
suggestion, and said that he thought
that Mr.. Tillman should have the duty
as the senior democratic member OF
the committee. Mr.. Clapp nominated
Senator Dolliver. AS has been stated,
Senator TilIman was chosen.
Speaking today of Mr.. Tillmans Sc
lection, Senator Aldrich expressed
great satisfaction saying that under
the circumstances it was the wisest
and best that could be made.
Already there is much discussion on
the subject of amendments. and it was
made evident today that the scene Of
activity in behalf of a modification
in favor of a court review provision
had been transferred from the COM
mittee room to the floor of the senate.
It is the belief that with such an
amendment the bill will secure practi-
cally all of the republican votes, and
the claim was made that majority of
@t1 Ct
out for such a change. The republican
members of the committee who re-
fused to vote for the bill in it's present
shape, say that there are over thirty
who will stand with them to the end
for this change. Many Of the demo-
cratic senators also have expressed a
willingness to accept such a provision.
Commenting on the bill today, Sena-
tor Tillman said:
THE first thing to do is to discover
and incorporate in the bill the amend
ments necessary to perfect. There was
no opportunity in the house of repre-
senatives to amend the bill. and there
are two very essential amendments
needed to make the law at all ade-
Quate.
Zone is the strongest possible prohi-
bition of the ownership and control
by public carriers of the articles to be
shipped over their lines. to the ex-
clusion of private ownership. in other
words the railroads have a tendency
to deal in some Of the commodities
that it was supposed they would only
handle in the capacity Of carriers. This
applies principally to the coal busi-
ness. They also should be required to
make connections with spur lines, to
contributary lines, and supply them
with cars and not block them
THE question of adding to the pro-
vision now in the bill for a judicial re-
view of the findings of the Interstate
commerce commission should be ap-
preached very cautiously. In the first
place, a decision of the commission
has the same standing as an act of
congress pending an appeal, unless it
should take a high handed course. I
can see no reason why a decision of
the commission should be set aside
pending an appeal in the courts.
''For one, I am not inclined to ac-
csrd to the members of the interstate