Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-04-10
SENATORS TALK RATES
. BUT ARE SLOW TO ACT
Southern Members Come Out in
Favor Of The Needed Bill But
DesIPe t Changed.
BOTH SIDES PLAYING POLITICS
mcLauren and Morgan State How
They Stand and Both of Them
Think the states Have all the
Power Necessary to Correct the
Evils Complained of by Shippers.
(By Associated Pressl

(By Associated Press)
WASHINGTON d. G., April y.-aIr.
McLauren AMI MIR. Morgan addressed
the Senate today on the railroad
rate question. the former advocating
the legislation and the latter opposing
It.
The Mississippi senator announced
his intention to support an inter
state commerce commission and aIsu
stating his adherence to the Bailey
amendment. He criticised what he
characterized as an effort to bring
politics into the consideration of the
bill. He referred to the Long amend.
mcnt as along the lines Of the amend.
ment first proposed by Mr.. Bailey,
but now spoken Of as an amendment
prepared by the President which the
Democrats are asked to help adopt
Both Sides Play Politics.
IF this is non.politica legislation.
continued the senator, "whal good
reason can be given for ignoring The
y5f1cndmcnt offered by the senator
from Texas. 1t is far more explicit
and better adapted to do justice and
reach the just end sought to be at
tanned.
This is not policy proclaimed and
advocated ny tho President. II Is a
policy proclaimed and advocated by
the Democrat party long since. anI
opposed by the President and r..
publican party less than year
and half ago. when the president
seoms 10 have frs; seen its bcncfi
cicnce.
But Are They SINCERE?
Now assuming that the President
and the faction in his party who aru
willing to follow him on this measure
are sincere and earnestly desire leg.
islation here in the interest OF the
great mass of plain people of the
country, let him and them come
| over and lhelp us enact law that
will be sure enough law
[ "Let.us give the small farmer who
ships his cotton or flour or corn or
meat fair rate, and lift the hand
of extortloR from him Let us re-
duce any exorbtant rate on the food
and fuel that feeds and warns the
laboring man in cities aud towns
and villages"
To Lower Duty on Steel.
McLauren advocated the removal
! of the duty on steel rails In order to
reduce The cost of railroad construc.
ton. also the removal of the duty
on iron
Mr.. Morgan took the position that
the proposed legislation was III inter-
ference with the rights Of the states
to control the corporations created
by themselves and said that the best
way to check cxorbitant rates was TO
keep the waterways in such condition
as to insure competition.
Open Up the Waterways.
IF, he said, Congress would do
it's duty In the improvements of the
water courses and place the river
dld naTDOr Dill on the same tOOtlnS
as the postofflce bill, BIen the rail-
roads would cease to do evil and
learn to do good and the people
could snap their fingers at them"
Mr.. Morgan spoke of the manage
ment of the railroad systems Of the
United States by fifty magnatcs and
predicted "a cyclone of socialism"
with consequent wreckage of values
as the result of their unbridled con
troll of this great power He believed
the States could control THE roads
single handed, but If aid from the
national government was necessary
1t could be granted by a fow simple
enactments without entering upon an
effort to regulate rates.
Outlining the Congressional legisla-
ton he would support, he said he
j would deny to any,railroad the major
| ity OF whose stock was controlled by