Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-12
Sympathyfor Gov. Bur|eigh
During Wife's Illness.
Crisis Seems to Be Passed and
Recovery Is Now Hoped.
Senators Frye and Hale Greatly Interested
in Railroad Rate Bill.

w iclIlit,l'll, A'ttS li'-N'"l''' az
During The anxious hours that Cover
nor Burlcish has passed at the bc'isid"
of his wife the past few weeks. he has
been strengthened and encouraged by
the kindly words of sympathy that
have come to him from his friends all
over Maine. All of his children have
been i'll Washington for several days
past. called here 10y the gravity of their
mothers condition.
From an adjoining room Governor
EurlclEh has endcaVorcd, with the aid
Of his private secretary. to keep pace
with his correspondence. which has
necessarily been somewhat neglected.
Much sympathy is felt FOR the Cover
nor about tho departments and the cap
itol since the serious nature. of Mrs.
Burlrighs illness became known ANA
anxious injuries about her condition
are constantly made at til" lsiclimond
hotel, where Governor and Mrs. Bur
leigh have been living during the pres
ent session. Although there have been
several stages iii her sickness where
her life was dcSpairci Of, she has
shown surprising vitality. and during
the past few days has improved to such
an extent that strong hopes Of her re-
covery are now felt
1t now looks as if the rate bill as fl
nally passed by the Senate would go
back to the House with the approval
of President Roosevelt. If such is the
case it will insure its passage in that
body by an overwhelming majority.
While there is no disposition to carry
this legislation To such an extent aa
to make it 4 menace to legitimate all
road business and enterprise, there is Il
very general feeling that it should lie
sufficiently stringent and far-reachinG
to insure the correction of ccItain
proved abuses that will not and should
not be longer tolerated by the American
| people
All Of She Maine delegation desire to
see Il good railroad bill nut uron tho
| federal statute bookstore that will in
sure u square deal and equal rights t.
| all citizens of the Republic. At the
same time they desire to SC" il passed
| in such form that il viii stand the test
of the courts. ana thus furnish pcrma
ncnt relief from the abuses it is design
| ed to correct.
| Both Senators Hale and Frye have
| been strong supporters of this propos-
| cd lcgiSlati ana have boon idcnti-
| fed With the efforts that have beer
| made to report the bill back to tbs
House in such form that while the
rights Of the people would b" fully
protected. the measure would also j.,
safcguar,icd against the constitutions
lawyer experts who, in the employ O
great corporations. will soon be seeking
to find som" lnnpholcs III it.
Mr.. Hale has been both the first MAI
and the last man to be consulted a
every important step of the long sirug
glc. as is the caSc with every importan
matter of business in the Senate now
lada%#. II" promptly expressed approx
al of the principle of legislation tina
the President wanted worked ont
| When II" came here last autumn. Nj
Hale hal several talks with the PrcSi
dent on the subject. The senator ha'
his oWn ideas US to certain details
Many Of these, hut moi an wore in lar
nony with the Presidents ideas. Nj
Hale has held alo"f from the activ
rlashing Of the factions. He has he'll
|
bill ought to be passed by RcpuhIica
votes. At the very start he has con
coded that tho Interstate Commorc
Commission should have the pow
or to fix rates. He urge
upon many of his Hcpublica
associates that such must b
allowed. Tho railroads had abuse
their powers AMI government contrC
over rate making was fully WarIantc'
Before the significance of court wa
fully UNDERSTOOD the President was in
clined to regard it as n minor matter
TIL" House in its vote some months ag
reflected the Presidents view with n
. gard to that question. Mr.. Hale. an
. indeed Mr.. Frye ANA most Of the Main
| members in the House thought ther
SHOULD be full opportunity for all ir
I tercsts and for all persons conccrnc
! to hay" their day in court. Tncy stoo
) for the broad review
The outcome is very satisfactory {
[ them. II is especially satisfactory
t Mr.. Hale that the fight is over bc"aus
he wants to move ahead with the a,
preparation bills. Mr.. Allison chair
| man Of the appropriation committe
! has been i'll and accordingly additions
l work devOlyes upon the Maine sena t
/ as the senior member of the appropri;
3 tions committee, next to the chairlna
The rate bill is undoubtedly the mo
: important legislation that has engage
: the attention Of Congress for a decad
! 1t will probably be as far-reaching
: its effects as the last tariff law. whic
the late Representative Dingley frame
> in large part and which was passed a
most ten years ago. The rate bill W
probably be improved upon. because
enters a new field of legislation. tt
way has not been blaZed as it was
the matter of tariff legislation. Pro
ably the rate law will be followed
kindred legislation in other lines q
fectirg corporate activity. The cour
must pass upon certain Of the contr
verte! questions and until the decisio