The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-08
RATE BILL AGAIN
SITUATION ONCE MORE TAKES DE-
 CIDED CHANGE.
Allison Amendment Falls by the Way side and Compromise Measure Will Pass-Democrats Will
 Carry Their Point.


 Washington. May 1.-The situation of the railroad rate bill took another de- cided change today and at the same time there was an additional step to- ward final agreement as to what the Judicial review amendment shall be-
 The Allison compromise proposition met with such determined opposition from those Senators who have fought against a broad" court review that, despite President Roosevelt's acceptance of 1t and his declaration that other propositions he had advocated were not vital, an agreement was reached by which several restrictions will be placed on the review proposition
 These were agreed upon in conse- quence of many informal conferences on the floor of the Senate during the debate. The result is that in return for the amendment conferring jurisdlc- of the Commission, friends of the bill demanded and by agreement of Sem ate leaders, will secure counter con sessions as follows:
 That no order of the Commission shall be suspended or set aside by an interlocutory order or decree without a hearing had Cn the application there- for, unless at least five days notice shall be given to the Commission of the time and place fixed for said hear ing.
 That such order shall not be made unless two judges of the court. to which application is made, shall concur in such interlocutory order or decree. That an appeal from such interlocutory or der may be taken within thirty days from the entry thereof, but shall lie only to the Supreme Court of the United States; that the rate-making section of rhe bill shall not be amended.
 Senator Alllson's, return to the Sem ate today, after brief Hines, had much to do with the additional agreements It was during his Illness that the com promise proposition which bears his name was given publicity. While he made no complaint against the position in which he was placed b ythe com promise amendment. he made it clear by his course that he did not think he had been treated fairly by Senators who announced that he had paved the way 70 a meeting ground for the con- testing Republican factions. To friends of the bill who looked upon the. com promise as a surrender to railroad in- terests. he said the amendment did not preclude further amendments, which would eXpe0lte the review.
 He disposed finally of the argument that an fDsistence for such amendments would be breach of faith with the conservatives, who had accepted the compromise. He did this by saying that there had been no agreement. The effect of this statement was the threat ened overturning of the compromise and negotiations were at once opened between the two forces.
 Senators Deliver. Lodge, Clapp and several other Republicans. who had opposed the amendment. declared that if the Allison compromise was adopted 1t must be followed with the provis- ions before stated. Senator Allison aided them in their campaign and a majority of the Democrats, loud ir criticism of the action of the Presi- dent in declaring that the Cwcrmar amendment was not vital, joined ranks and the whole made a formidable ar. my. The compromise disappeared as fl by magic.
 Finally Senators Aldrich, Knox Crane Foraker, Lodge and a number of others agreed that If the Allison amendment were adopted they woulc consent to the adoption of some sucl amendments as that offered by Sen ators Overman providing for notice tt the adverse party befort preliminar, injunctions are issued suspending or ders of the interstate commerce com mission and that offered by Senator Bacon providing that such preliminar! order shall be concurred in by tw, judges. They agreed further that ap peals from such interlocutory order or preliminary injunctions should b, made direct to the Supreme Court.
 Friends of the bill held out for stil another agreement and that was tha section four of the bill, which amends section fifteen of the interstate com merce act should be left as 1t passe, the House. The conservative factioI demurred at this suggestion. The sec tion is the one that provides that thu commission shall make rates which iI it's Judgment shall be just and reason able The conserative faction desired to strike out the word Fin its judG ment" unquestionably, declare tn, friends of the measure, that woulc compel the courts to review the ac tion of the commission as to the just ness and reasona bleness of the rate. nxed. Under the language of tn, House bill, they believe that the court. will not review that question.
 After the adjournment of the Senate today, Senators Aldrich, Knox, Carter Hopkins, Cullom, Fulton and Crane mel
 
 The conference lasted nearly an hour.
 Both factions were strongly repre- sented. At the conclusion Senator Al. drich stated that the bill would be nassed with section four left just as il arguments that accomplished this resul; arguments that accompanied this result was the action of several Senators in pointing out that Senator knox's rate bill authorized the commission to fix rates which in it's judgment were just and reasonble and that the same language appeared in the Massachu- setts statutes
 The conference today, 1t is believed has about disposed of the points in dispute. The agreements reached by Republican Senators is concession to the Democrats.
 The Allison compromise was no; written by Senator Allison, but was nroposed two weeks ego at a meeting of senators Long. Fulton, Nelson and Allison. The last named submitted il to Senator Aldrich and others as {. hasis for a compromise on the review feature. His illness prevented him from disclaiming the entire responsibility for