Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-01-11
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
Washington, January 3.

.
Washington, January 3.
Tho names OF two Iowa men viii be
attached to the railroad rate regf
lation bill that passes congress-. SEM
ator Delivers measure Is now &C.
cepted as the most accurate express
sion OF the administrators policy
and ia commonly called the adminis5
tration bill. Congressman Hepburn
chairman of the house committee on
Interstate commerce, Is well pleased
with the Dolllver measure and his
relations TO the legislation are likely
to give him opportunity to dislde with
the senator the honor of naming the
proposed law. BY devoted friends
OF effective legislation the Dolliyef
measure is regarded as the best thus
far proposed. '.------'
Much significance is attached here
TO the fact that the Nebraska delega-
tion has tlatly announced that II viii
vote for the Payne bill reducing
duties on tobacco and sugar imported
from the Philippines to rs per cent OF
the Dingley rates, and wiping our
the duties on other Philippine pro!
ducts. AS Nebraska In one OF the
leading beet sugar states. II was ex!
pected that the opponents of the
Payne measure would get som6
strength from that state. Il is now
regarded as assured that the bill will
pass the house, although desperate
effort will DO made TO beat It In the
senate.
The early announcement OF an
agreement between this country and
Germany whereby the threatened
tariff war will be averted Is expected
1t was said in recent dispatch thai
some hope existed of mutual conces.
sions that would avoid the promised
tarin trouble with the German en-,
pire. Matters have gone far enough
so that n tentative agreement has
been outlined as the result OF confer.
ences OF Secretary Root with Ambas-
sador Sternbourg, head OF tho German
embassy here, Secretary Shaw and
others. Secretary Root has found
that the senate will not ratify new
trade treaty with Germany, and on
the other hand Germany does not
want, despite her threats, TO engage
In tariff war with America. II presi
ent plans are carried through. Ger
many will not impose new higher
duties on American goods aftef
March I. as she threatened TO do. in
return, the consuls abroad will be re-
quested to exercise more care In fir
ing the market value Of imports. Sec-
rotary Shaw will also recommend 10
congress that a more lenient law be
passed as to imposing penalties for
the differentiation OF goods. Now
any differentiation means q cores
ponding penalty.
Strong protestations OF sincerity
were made by representatives of tho
railroads west OF Chicago when they
called upon the Interstate commerce
commission few days ago and pre-
sented the resolution adopted nt Chia
cago declaring the purpose of the rail-
roads to cooperate with the commits
sion In the enforcement OF the laws
against rebates and other unlawful
practices. The Interstate commerce
commission, In a statement given out
the same day, announced that while
the conference with the western rail-,
way officials was unsought by the
commission its purpose was iegiti-
mate and commendable and warrants
the expectation OF effectual results.
The commission announces that IL
has no reason to doubt the sincerity
OF the western railroad officials, but
says that tho proposed cooperation
probably will not result In the dis
continuance OF the unlawful practices.
II is recalled by members OF the com.
nilsson that the railroads have under.
taken before to stop the granting OF
rebates, and have at times even gone
so far as to organize n bureau, but
tho efforts have never been complete
iy successful. and soon have ceased.
The activity of the Attorney Gen.
eral In directing district attorneys To
prosecute railroad officials for VIOLA
lions OF the laws and the fact that
many indictments have been found
and a number soon will be returned
Ia ascrIbed In administration circles
as the cause Of the decision OF the
railroads to stop granting rebates.
President Roosevelt Is telling al
callers that he wants effective rate
legislation, and that he does not pro-
pose to accept compromise. Many
members OF congress are receiving
letters from their constituents, pro-
testing against any compromise. The
president has let It be known that he
wants no compromise power. but ia,
vors effective legislation chat will
give the interstate commerce commits,
sion power to control rates. He sanc-'
lions the bill introdced by Senator
Dolliver, and believes that II would go
far to correct present evils. He re-
CARDS Il as a practical solution of the
present situation, and believes that
while it may have some defects, these
would easily be corrected by sue
ceeding legislative bodies. The prin-
cipal purpose of the president is to
get into the law the idea OF the con-,
troll Of rates by government COM
mission. After that such amendments
can be made to the law as to make IL
r. III -Af L.