The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-14
BY w. w. Jermane.

that the house committee on interstate
and foreign commerce will report the
Hepburn rate bill at it's meeting next
Friday. The delay of week was the
result Of request of the democratic
members of the committee, who are
protesting strong desire to cooperate
with the republicans in a report that
will be unanimous, and naturally the
republicans, If there is any chance for
this, want to bring it about.
Such report would obliterate poll
cies from the question, and add tre-
mendously to the prestige Of the bill in
the senate.
If, however, it is discovered that the
democrats on the house committee are
| not sincere in their expressed desire for
cooperation, the republicans will go it
alone, leaving the democrats to make
their minority report and Introduce
their minority bill, which has already
| been drafted. i 49, :.
! In the house, the democrats profess
| to be satisfied with the Hepburn bill.
| They speak Of certain minor amend
ments Of phraseology which they want
made, and their wishes in this respect
will be met, if the request is made in
good faith and not with view to
"playirg politics.. - H..
Amended by Republicans.
The republican members of the com
mittee have already amended the Hep
burn bill in half dozen or more par.
ticulars, none, however, Of major signi
ficance. Re representatives. Esch and
Townsend have accepted the amended
bill and from this time on, no more vii
| be heard Of their own particular meas
| ure.
Representative Townsend suggested
! and insisted upon one Of the amend
ments which the committee adopted
The original Hepburn bill provided thai
when the commission had made a CLAW
full order'> and that order had beer
taken to the courts, it should be b5
them enforced. The amendment pro
vides that the courts must enforce any
order actually made by the commission
The force Of the amendment is no
great, for it is not likely. the courts
would enforce any order that was NO
lawful. Still, Mr.. Townsend regarded
the change as Important. -. :
Another amendment provides thai
the. commission can apportion'" rate
only after there has been a publii
hearing. Still another makes certain
that the word 'instrum entalities'' Il
the Hepburn bill covers everything
connected with transportation, thu
broadening the scope of the section
in which the word is found.
:. Another one provides that in tn
supreme court, rate cases are to hay
! precedence over all others exceptin
, criminal cases. :.
r The venue of action in the Hepbur
3 bill was at the principal place of bus
: ness of the railroad corporation. Al
7 other amendment provides that actio
r may be had in any district where CON
plant arises.
With these changes, the Z origins
4 Hepburn bill stands as introduced
4 The amendments proposed by the den
} ocrats are even less important tina
. those just referred to-, and there wi
4 be no trouble in securing an unanimou
: committee report, provided the demo
: Gratis want to do the square thing.
Progress in the House. .~
When the committee reports the bi
to the house, it will ask for rule fc
it's consideration. This rule will b
given. 1t will forbid amendments an
will permit of free debate, perhaI
lasting as long as a week. Then tn
bill will be taken up under the fiv'
minute rule, section by section, an
then put to vote on final passage.
The house republicans recogniz
that the senate will not accept the
phraseology. The senate will writ
q it's own bill, which it will pass, an
then the tug of war will come in tt
conference between the two house
The house Of representatives, howeve
has the power Of initiative and tt
right Of refusal to accept what ii
senate may sumbit. .. .....> .....-.s
The house leaders are anxious to hay
their measure as nearly perfect ar
&c satisfactory as possible, SO that tt
10 senate will have the smallest possib
- excuse for departing from its ma
~ principles. >-> 49,. .....r. ~
=, In struggle over phraseolog
- which is certain to come, the hou
~ will ultimately yield, provided the SO
70 ate bill approaches in spirit the pre-
10 ent Hepburn bill. ~.-
ID ID The thing to be kept in mind at tn
;f time is that the act which will go
- the statute books will be drafted
"a the senate and not in the house.,
" Gath Annual Reduced Price Sale.
al Vo&h uo,,