The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-04-05
WORK OF CONGRESS
What Is Being Done Day by Day By
the National House and Senate.
Rate Bill Honest.

When the Senate met Mr.. GILBERT
ton presented and had the clerk to
read a memorial from the Cattle
Ralsers' Association of Texas, urging
the passage of the railroad rate bill
as 1T came from the House. The let
ter was accompanied by a letter from
>. IL. COwan, attorney for the asso-
cation, IN which he said that the rail
roads have In the past six a in
creased rates Oh cattle shipments to
the extent of $1S q car, causing a
total outlay of $10,O0O,000 above the
amount that it would have been nee
cessary to pay under the old prices.
The petition urged the Senate to re-
sist efforts to seriously amend the bill
as mere subterfugcs on part of OF
ponents Of the bill.
The following bills were passed:
Amending the law requiring lights
Oh RATS so as TO make it apply to
RATS In tow.
Authorizing the erection of a dam
across the ChOctaw Hatche river, IN
Dale county, Ala.
The conference report on the con-
sular reorganization bill was agreed
to without discussion.
All in Publics Interest.
When the railroad rate bill was
taken up, Nh. Clay addressed the
Senate, saying that he not consider
the principle point Of controversy a
serious one. He had heard charges
that both the House and the Knox
bills were drawn in the interest of
the railroad, but the fac he de-
clared, were convincing that such was
not the case. He then traced the his
tory of the House bill. saying that it
owed its origin To the Interstate
commerce commission and had been
accepted by the entire membership Of
the House committee, Republican and
Democrats alike had passed the
House with practical unanimity. The
bill might not be perfect, but he was
satisfied that it had received only
honest consideration. So, too, he was
satisfied that the Knox, the Tillman
and Culbertson bills had all been
drawn In the interest of the people.
He discussed the question of a court
review of the orders of the inter
State commerce commission, saving
that If under the House bill the reou-
larity of the commission s orders only
was contested, the carrier would be
deprived of the right to contesting a
rate fixed.
Should Concede Review.
Mr.. Clay declared that OF il was
the intention to permit a review, of
the commissions finding, the right
should be conceded in the bill.
"Why not say so directly in the
bill and get over the controversy"
he said 81 believe that review ought
to be permitted, but [ believe that the
review ought to be confined to the
question as to whether the rate fixed
i; constitutional. The court should
not be authorized to go into the whole
case.'
Mr.. TiIIman and Mr.. Fulton asked
why, if the review privilege was to be
confined to the constitutional priv
lege, any provision of the kind was
necessary, and Mr.. Clay replied that
he would agree with them if there
were nothing in the bill as it stands
on the subject of review, but that i'll
view of the text of the bill he thought |
it should be amended so as to author
lie the courts to say whether the |
rates fixed were ~confiscatory.
Mr.. Clay referred to the differences
of opinion between eminent lawyers
when the income tax measure was be-
fore Congress.
Nh. Tillman said it was no wonder |