The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-03-15
MAY BEAT RATE BILL
Presidents Policy Endangered
BY Recalatant Senators
WOULD EMAsCULATE BILL
Other Important Matters to be De-
cided. Effort to Stop Seed Dis
tribution Will Fail


The wavering fortunes of rate legisla-
ton has led to much idle speculation
and many unfulflled prophesies.
Even this, the main object in the
presidents estimation to be attained
at this session of Congress is not ex-
empt from danger of partial or entire
defeat. While there has been some
misgiving from the start as to the fl
nal attitude of the senate respecting
this question, the depression of Mr..
Knox, universally regarded as one of
the staunchest lieutenants of the
president, was the first real detection
from the ranks of his supporters, al
though the action of Senator Knox did
not involve any radical difference with
the views of the president. The
Washington Post, an independent
newspaper published in this city, and
perhaps the most impartial and ably
edited newspaper in the country, on
yesterday published an article of con-
siderable length in which it regards
the present status of the rate bill as
Indicative of a losing fight on the
part of the president. The alleged
desertion of five democrats from the
rank of the rate bill supporters is
cited as foundation for this pre-
sumption. The injection of the clause
specifically incorporating the court re-
view feature into the bill seems to
have given rise to other difficulty.
The deposit which is suggested as a
guaranty of good faith on the part of
carriers pending the adjudication Of
controverted questions of charges is
looked upon with suspicion by some,
as it would not rebound to the adj
vantage of the producer, in view of
the fact that the shipper would take
no chances in the matter, and would
pay the producer such prices for his
products as would enable him to re-
alize profit from the purchase even
though the Interstate Commission
should be overruled by the courts.
Senator Knox's bill contains this pro-
vision, and permits the alternative of
a bond instead of cash deposit,
which renders the bill still more OBJ
jectionable. The vote on the state
hood bill took place yesterday. The
Foraker amendment, mentioned in my
last letter, went through. An "a
mendment was then introduced by Sen
ator Burrows, eliminating altogether
Arizona and New Mexico from the
bill, and this amendment carried, leav-
ing only Indian Territory and Oklaho-
ma to be admitted under the bill, and
jointly. The brilliant senator from
Indiana. Senator Beveridge led the
fight for joint statehood of the four
territories, and he stood by his guns
to the last ditch. The Iowa senators
voted against the Burrows amendment
and the Foraker amendment.
There has been much discussion by
newspapers and in congressional cir
cles on the question of the practice of
distributing seeds free to farmers
throughout the country by the govern
ment through members of congress.
Of course proprietors of seed stores
and extensive growers of this COM
modify are bitterly opposed to this
method OF furnishing seeds to farmers.
The committee on Agriculture in the
house voted discontinuance of the
appropriation for this purpose, but it
is thought that it will be attached to
the general appropriation bill on the
floor of the house.
The trial of ex-state Senator E.
Green. of New York state, on the
charge of conspiracy to defraud the
government, in connection with George
w. Bea, e~s, who has alre ady
been indicted and convicted on similar
charges, and who is now serving a
term in prison, came to an end this
week, and the accused was acquitted.
His alleged offense consisted in
granting Geo. w. Bevers, when the