Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-05-11
.DOLL|vER IN
ABLE DEFENSE
Iowa Senator Made the Great
Speech of Present Con.
gress To Date
FIRST WORDS FOR DEFENSE
Heard by Audience That Crowded
the Senate Chamber-Efforts Of
Presiding Officer Could Not Pre-.
vent Expressions OF Approval.


Des Moines, March "A Washing.
ton special to the Register and Lead.
err says:
Senator Dolliver yesterday made
what was everywhere accepted as the
great speech of the present congress
10 date. 1t was the opening gun for
the rate regula ton forces in the bat.
tie which will be waged in the sen.
ate with little intermission until a
vote is secured. The Iowan i'm
mediately followed Senator Foraker,
Who on Wednesday delivered the first
important speech for the opposition
to the presidents policy, and it has
been widely commented that while
l.ldrich, Elkins and other extreme
conservatives insist that they are
for regulation if they can only be
sure that it is safe and sane, they
put forward as spokesman of their
side the one man who has declared
himself against all government regu-
lation.
Senator Dolliver never lacks for
an audience when it is known that
be is to speak; but yesterday he had
the greatest audience that ever listen
ed to him in congress. The senate
galleries were crowded and hundreds
were turned away before the session
opened. Senator Foraker who was
indisposed after the exertion of his
long speech yesterday, was con-
spicuous as almost the only absen-
ee among the senate's membership.
Scores of members of the house came
Jver 10 listen to Dolliver, and the
senate floor was thronged by these.
Around all the walls of both chamber
and galleries were continuous lines Of
people, who listened throughout the
'wo hours that Mr.. Dolliver talked.
The galleries applauded from time to
time, despite the stern disapproval of
,..e presiding officer, and at the con-
:lusion Mr.. Dolliver received con-
gratulatisns for quarter of an hour"
Washington, D. c., March 2.--That
interest in the railroad rate question
continues undated was made mani
fest again yesterday by the large
audience which greeted Mr.. Dolliver
from the senate galleries when he
rose to speak on the DolliverHep-
burn bill. From the first the Iowa
senator has been the champion of
the policy of giving the interstate
commerce commission full authority
and the friends of the house bill
have expected him to take a leading
part in pressing the consideration of
b. en- placed in charge of another
senator. His was the first speech
made in support Of the bill
Mr. Dolliver began his speech at
1890 p. m, Immediately after the
disposal of the routine morning bust
ness. That order included the pas
sage of bills authorizing the disposi-
ton Of surplus lands on the Yakima
and Colvile Indian reservations in
Washington.
Mr.. Dolliver spoke without notes.
He began with a compliment to Mr.
Culom, Of whom be spoke as the
father of interstate commerce legis,
alton and to Mr.. Nelson, the author
il VII presented W luS idSl
congress.
The senator then outlined the bill
pointing out wherein it amends the
existing interstate law, saying that,
after all, the changes were compare.
lively few.
Instead of undermining the law
the bill fortifies it," he said, and he
declared that if the present law had
Been treated with the reverence and
;anctity it deserved the American
people would have approached the
subject in frame of mind different
from that which now prevails
He said that the railroad compan.
les were unable to protect themselves
against the fragrant abuses" of the
private car companies under section
of the present law. He had not
favored the abolition of these cars,
but he did believe that the car COM
panies should be regulated by max
in responsible the railroad compan-
les employing them.
Speaking of the interstate COM
ncrce commission he discussed Judge
Grosscups recommendation for a
specific court but he did not accept
the theory advanced for the reason
that he considered the present ma
chnery sufficient for all purposes.
He recognized the fact that it had
become fashionable to speak slight
ingly of the interstate commission
and defended that body against such
attacks. He expressed the opinion
that if the lawyers had dealt as
fairly with the commission as with
the courts the result would have
been better
Mr.. Dolliver declared he did not
expect protracted vendetta between
the railroads and the community, be-
leving that when the law was en-
acted it would be observed by car.
rier and shipper alike. He predicted
that within five years there would be
boards of arbitration in every traf.
fc center of the country SO that APP.
peals to the commission would be
the rule rather than the exception. Z
He recognized the fact that the
question of appeal to the courts from
the orders of the commission was
the battle-ground and he declared
that as the bill stands it leaves the
door to the court open for the pro.
lection of all constitutional rights.
he temporarily left that point and
took up the rebate question, saying
that he did not agree with either Mr.
Foraker or Mr.. Bacon that the secret
practices have been abandoned. He
did not believe the Elkins bill ade.
quate for protection against these
practices.
1.-THE difficulty about rebates IS not