Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-02-15
COULD NOT AMEND.
All Attempts to Change Railroad
Rate Bill Failed.
HOUSE ADJOURNED WITHOUT ACTION
For Three Hours Desperate Efforts
Were Made in the House TO At
feet Changes-It VIII Pass
Thursday.

its session practically to 7 o'clock the
house concluded all preliminary steps
to the passage of the railroad rate
bill, ordered a roll-call on the measure
and put off the final action until Thurs
day at noon.
The time for amendment came at
o'clock and for three hours following
one amendment after another came up
was read, debated, in some instances
and went down to defeat. So fierce
was the struggle to amend that often
when paragraph of the bill was con-
cluded in the reading, dozen mem
bers waved their amendments and
shouted for recognition.
Not one of these was adopted. They
contained all manner of propositions
ouch as regulating preferentials, the
long and short haul, free passes, court
procedure, whole rate bills and parts
OF bills, all went "by the board"
Previous to these exciting proceedings
the house had been entertained for i've
hours by the oratory Of its best speak
ers. Mr.. Bourke Cochran of New York
gave his approval to the. measure IN
an elaborate speech. Mr.. Mann OF ILL
inois followed, when the minority
leader, Mr.. williams expounded the
measure and congratulated everybody
on its success. Chairman Hepburn
closed the debate in comprehensive
speech dealing with the arguments OF
1t opponents and the terms OF the Dill.
Throughout the day THE attendance
of members was large and the CALLER
les were crowded.
Mr.. Williams summarized the Dill
and all that had been done by congress
and went over the ground that had
been debated at length during the past
ten DAYS. He received close attention
I from his democratic associates as well
as from the republican side OF tie
house.
Mr. Williams concluded with an ex-
preston of hope that the house would
stay in session until the beginning Oh
the next session before it would yield to
an amendment which might be put In
by the senate, the effect Of which may
be to weaken the bill.
Mr.. Hepburn began the concluding
speech on the bill at 2:45 o'clock.
Mr.. Hepburn took up in turn the
points made in opposition to the bill
and disposed of each in brief man
ner. First he deprecated the effort to
| claim political credit. He reviewed
the progress and development of roads
during the past twenty years to show
that the interstate commerce act OF
that time had not impeded railroad
progress.
Touching on the construction OF
words which had been made a point OF
opposition, Mr., Hepburn declared the
utter futility of getting legislative
unanimity on that point. He asserted
not member of the house could write
twenty word sentence that would not
be capable of two constructions.
"You doubtless have heard the story
of the little girl whose people were to
move to Missouri, and who prayed
Goodbye, God, we are going to move
to Missouri QLaughter,)
"Her brother heard her, and in his
Joy at the prospect of travel, amend
ed the prayer in this way; Good, by
God! We are going to move to Mis-
souri, prolonged laughter.)
He maintained that no court rights
were lost under the bill, and conclud
ed with an expression of the hope
that the bill would be sent to thu
senate without amendment.
He concluded at O'Clock and asked
at once for the reading of the bill. =
It was 6:45 o'clock when all amend
ments were disposed of. All proposed
changes had been rejected and the bill
was reported to the house exactly al
it came from Mr.. Hepburn's commit
tee.
Mr.. Gaines pursued his anti-pasl
campaign further by endeavoring t.
recommit the bill to committee will
instructions to report his amendmen
on it. This failed. A roll call wa
demanded on the passage of the bill
Just as it was about to begin thu
house, at 6:55, adjourned on notioi
Of Mr.. Hepburn until Thursday a
IL o'clock, noon.