New-York tribune., 1906-04-07
NEAR RATE AGREEMENT
UORK ON AMENDMENT.
President Consulting Republican and
Democratic Senators.
lFon Tie Tribune bureau ]

,,-.sbfnrton April 6-Senator Tfllman made
,,other attempt to-day 10 have a date set for
,ba vote or the rate bill and although he was
,,rs,,c-essful there are indications that the pres
ert situation viii not be greatly prolonged. Mr.
,riIl-ran announced that. far as he could as
certain. all the speeches 10 be made on the Dem
oc-stic side Of the chamber would be delivered
n the coming week. He said that Senator Bailey
,roula speak on Tuesday next. No one on the
Republican side Of the chamber. however was
,,.rrirg 70 commit that side TO date predict
even approximately when a vote could be
reached.
The fact Is that the conservative Republicans,
,,c,uding Senators Aldrich, Crane, Knox, Spoon
- and others. are now At work court re-
,5ezv provlsion which will be a combination OF
the Knox and Spooner amendments, and for
vbirh when finally perfected. they expect the
support OF q large majority Of the Senate. To
,be r-iuclple involved in this amendment upward
- Fo-ty Republican and Democratic Senators
a.. now absolutely committed. and II is believed
that as result Of further discussion and ener-
qetic work IN cloak and committee rooms, with
rossihly some minor changes in the form of the
amendment far larger number OF votes can be
l,,.o,,e5 When all that can be done in this di-
reotion has been accomplished vote VIII be
serse6 % promptly, although the date will not be
an early one.
r IS expected that Senator Bailey VIII again
,6vooate his amendment restricting the power 10
rrant an injunction against decisions Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission TO the higher
courts but that II, as is regarded probable. he
,s unable 10 convince any large number of his
colleagues Of both the constitutionality and the
expediency Of adopting his proposition, he VIII
commit himself 10 the policy advocated by the
conservative Republicans. 1t is largely this be-
lief which leads the conservatives TO resist the
,,rsssUre TO set a day for vote until they can
,u6qe Of the effect Of Mr.. Bailey's remarks
Senator Rayner spent some time at the White
House this morning and on reaching the Senate
said that he had been conferring with the Presi-
dent on rate legislation, inumating that he had
been sent for by the Executive. Mr.. Rayner
Immediately began an active campaign 10 pro-
mote the proposition 20 call a caucus Of the
Democratic Senators. with view TO binding
themselves 10 uphold The efforts Of Senators
Long. DolIiver. Clapp. Cullom and other Repub-
,icsrs 70 secure the adoption Of the Long
Moody amendment Apparently. however, MI
Ravrer's efforts in this direction proved unsuc-
cessf,ll as when lhe Senate adjourned the call
for n caucus had received no signatures in ad-
dition 10 the twelve affixed yesterday. IT would
require twenty-five votes 10 call caucus.
The President explained 10 some OF his callers
to-day that in consulting Democratic Senators
regarding rate legislation he was merely pur-
suing consistent policy OF viewing the Hep
burn bin as an economic and not a partisan,
neAsUres and added that he would he glad to
talk with al friends Of rate legislation. regard
less ~ party.
Following the visit of Senator Rayner at the
White House Senators Allison Of Iowa, and Mel
son. of Minnesota had a talk with the PresI-
dent. They. TOO. discussed the rate situation.