The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-24
DEMOCRATS HOLD
KEY TO RATE BILL
They Are in Absolute Control of
Situation in Senate
Committee.

| '@hSiii4N'loNp feD- .5.-W hat the
Eenoers OF the Senate Committee on
interstate Commerce will do when they
i"cc Fot" on the court review feature
OF railroad rate bill tomorrow is n ques-
tioa that tonight is provoking unlimited
speculation and n wide variance In pre-
ulctiohs The Democratic members OF
'he committee hold the key To the stua-
''oHs out st conference tonight they
were unable to agree When they ad-
)ourned they favored sending the bin to
the Senate floor without a report of any
character. The conservative Republicans
declared they would win with an amend
nent. and Senators Dolliver and CIapp
continued their stand against amend
ments.
The Introduction today by Senator Knox
OF railroad rate bill containing n fea-
ture for court review seemed to
clarity the situation for a time The con-
serSa1lNe faction of the committee was
ready 20 accept this feature, and they
held conference. at which 1t was agreed
TO oHer IL as IN amendment TO the Hep
burn bill.
Democrats Hesitate.
They counted on certain Democratic
votes In the committee to give them
majority, but the hesItancy of these
Democrats In committing themselves 10
the amendment upset their plans The
lSemocrats said they desired to consider
the Knox scheme before agreeing to vote
Tor 1t. AS result Senators TIllman, Nc
L1urin and Foster conferred.
lhcy took into their conference the
Knox plan, an amendment prepared by
the conservative Republicans and the
plans provided In various other rate bills
them.
The conservative Republicans said they
diU not what
!cctcd but urged the Democrats TO
bring In some plan even though IL should
be new scheme originated In the confer
cnoc.
Democrats in Control.
In any event the Democrats will go
control OF the situation. They can amend
the Hepburn bill or they can report IL to
tie Senate In the form passed by the
House, There will be eleven members OF
the committee present when tho commit
tee meets. Six members Will consti-
tute n majority. There arc five RepubII-
can members who will vote together for
n court review amendment One Demo-
cratic vote, therefore, is sufficient 10
amend tho bill
Until the Democratic members decided
to get together the conservative Rcpub-
leans claimed some Democratic votes II
Is not likely that the Democratic position
viii be disclosed before the meeting to-
morrow
Minority in the Air.
The minority members tonight said
frankly that they were up in the air.
They said they were Inclined To favor q |
plan of reporting tho House bin TO tho
senate without any strings attached"
BY this expression they mean that a re-
port of the committee will have little |
oearing OF tho decision of the Senate, |
and therefore all amendments might we'll |
,e considered on tho floor II additional |
inc is demanded by the Democrats the |
committee VIII tomorrow consider num-
,rous pending amendments relating to |
other than the court features |
n that event. tho committee Will not at
empt 10 formulate its report until Sat
Irday.
If the conservative faction succeeds in
lmendng the Hepburn bill by inserting
he review feature OF the Knox bill, sew.
ral Republican Senators Will endeavor
o amend the amendment after the blh
caches the floor,
Effect of the Scheme.
Their scheme: if successful. would limit
he commission. In making n rate, had
Exceeded its authority and whether the
rider was issued In violation OF the con~
itutlonal rights of the complainan |
erting half dozen words In the KnoA
mcndment, That portion of the amend,
nent for the institution of proceedings
would then provide that any carrier
erson or corporation. party to the pro-
eedings affected by the decision OF the
commission. TO the rate practice
overed by the complaint or by It's OF
er prescribing a different ratio OF prac-
Ice. and alleging either both to bo
eyond the authority OF the commission
L violation Of It's or his constitutional
lights. may institute proceedings" to
ave such questions determined
The supporters Of this plan are among
nc leading lawyers of the Senate in the
action antagoniStic to amending the
JpnEp Iil Ii is PaIl that their efT
'ould leave the Knox amendment very
lmIlar TO the revision OF Attorney-Gen-
raj Moody, which was dlsapproyed by
enator KnoJ