New-York tribune., 1906-05-19

insisted that this unfortunate amendment destroyed
the efficiency OF the entire measure, and that In his
judgment. If It was finally adhered 20. I'VE might
as well abolish the commission and ring down the
curtain on the comedy
II deplore the fact" said Mr. Rayner. "of the
Presidents interference. regret IL with all my
heart and am sorry for Il, He has debilitated
and mutilated this measure while il he had persist
ed IN his purpose only a few days longer united
Senate in response 20 the voice of united people,
would have put upon the statute books a law that
gratied the expectations and responded to the ex-
geneies Of the hour"
When Senator Rayner finished Senator Dolliver
took the floor saying that If he felt about the bill
as did Mr. Rayner he would not vote for it, THE
bill is revolutionary dangerous legislation,
he said. and he predicted that It would have the
popular approval
He purposed to defend neither the bill nor the
president. but he would say that there were MILL
ions who would not think less OF the Chief Execu-
for bringing his party into accord in the egis
lation. Whatever might be said for or against the
President, Mr. Dollver said. he came out Of the
fight with every proposition he had advanced writ
ten in plain terms in the statute books of the
United States That the bill was perfect response
TO the Presidents recommendations he contended
and then he quoted those recommendations to sus-
tain that declaration II rejoice that they will go
into the law by the practically unanimous vote Of
both sides of the Senate he said and he then men
toned the Overman Bacon and Culberson amend
ments important parts Of the measure What
ever may be said of the President" he declared
''he will be remembered the fearless leader who
without regard to personal comfort regard for
consequences, has taken up these great questions
and secured their enactment into law
OPINIONS OF THE BILL.
Senator Teller expressed the opinion that the bill
amended by the Senate was much better meas
than when it came to the Senate and that this
improvement sufficient reply to the criticisms
that had been made at the expense of the Senate.
He expressed regret that there had been an effort
give the bill partisan coloring. and called at
tention to the fact that all the negative votes in
the House had been cast by Republican members
President Should be Acknowledged as the leader in
legislation. for he denied the right of the Presi-
House and instruct or request them how to conduct
themselves. He would. however, give the President
that initiative iii he did not beiive the Republican
party would have permitted the passage Of the
Senator Foraker said there were some sections
that he should like to enacted into law, and
that if he could vote upon those sections as such
he would be relieved of great perplexity He, how.
Congress to enter upon rate making. and could
not obtain his own assent to cast an affirmative
vote for the measure whole. Hence, though
he stood alone he meant to % cast his vote aganst
support in the real convictions of many other Sem
ators. He believed the bill would pass by unan-
Senator MeLaurin argued that the court review
provision was the broadest possible, and said
therefore, that if the President had united his
party in the Senate. declared by Mr. Dolliver,
he had done so by sgrrendering to the opponents h
surrendered the rights so earnestly contend9d for
his party here he was sure that the contrary re-
suit would be realized in the country at large.
THE MEASURE NOT PARTISAN.
Senator La Toilette took issue with Mr. Dol
livers contention that the pending bill a COM
pliance with the Presidents recommendations. say
ing that the contrary true, and that It did
not contain provisions that would enable the In
terstate Commerce Commission to ascertain what
deprecated the idea of making it a party question
II may be done here, but not in the country at
large, he said. You cannot divide the people at
large on the question to whether the railroads
shall serve the people equitably and JUSTLY
he said: "They were voted down by Republican
colleagues cole who had been lined up under the leader;
that the addition Of his amendments would have
beer accepted. He then entered upon an argument
against overcaptalization and said that so long
issue TT will not be possible to keep it Within the
Saor oTedh dhe bs tie SAID ID ton
Ar Foraker in voting against the bill, and said
m fTcient M reason fqE his position II ne had
victon that the people Of Alabama Would Sustain
~ nm N ms course he said that the course OF the
shown such hberality their part to convince
condemnation He expressed the further opinion
that the railroads had been able 20 draw TO their
gress.
SAYS ALABAMA MAY TEST Law
Having performed my duty in offering amend
ments, which were not adopted" he saId 'I shall
have supreme satisfaction in voting No on the
final rollcall" He said that the law contained
provisions inmical TO the interests Of Alabama,
and intimated that the Governor OF that state
would test its validity IN the courts.
Senator Bailey announced his conviction that the
bill was a vast improvement over the existing law
and said he would vote for 1T. 'If not perfect it
can be amended, and if the carriers do not re-
spect and obey this milder law Congress will pass
law with teeth in it-with teeth of metal that will
nuTt:* He thought some mistakes had been made
N Young down amendments, but even with these
Geciensies the bill deserves to receive not only the
quences."
will remedy our mistakes he said '"They can and
the Tae teF and Ts W9 W hsn e hy M9 6s STt
II II s ior me shippers 70 decide whether there shall
That the bill was incomplete and fragmentary
but he 99q expressed M by Senator S SNeWlands
advance on the present law.
TILLMAN GIVES CREDIT.
Anxious Senator'S by this time to reach
vote. there nevertheless much interest mani
Tested when Senator Tillman took the floor. After
announcing his intention to vote for the bill as
1.-THE best he could GET he entered upon the task
OF acknowledging the instrumeEtalty Of the Pres
ident in securing the legislation. He came bluntly
to the point saying:
But for the work of Theodore Roosevelt IN bring
ing this matter to the attention of the country
we would not have had any bin at all. It is true
that the idea was not his, and that the demand for
the legislation was made in three Democratic plat
forms; nevertheless he seized upon the idea. and
the success of the issue is largely due to his adj
vocacy. l can't congratulate him his victory,
Tor think we should have had better bill.
He complimented the Republican party on its
practical unaniEnity but predicted that scars
would remain the result OF the conflict that had
taken place within the party ranks. He expressed