The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1906-02-16
IN CONGRESS-.
French Supports Railway Rate
Bill.-Bills by Hepburn.
needed.

Congressman French Is very ard
ent supporter Of the railway rate bill
now pending in the House of Repre-
sentatives. This bill is supposed to
embody the ideas of President Roose-
velt, and is favored by almost the
entire membership of the House. 1t
will meet with some opposition in
the Senate from Il few Senators from
the East, who are we'll under control
of the railroads, but the temper OF
the people is so well understood to
demand stringent railroad regulation
that the measure will meet with less
opposition 10 the Senate than has
been anticipated. Mr.. French de-
livered speech In the House few
days ago, in which he took occasion
to set forth his views on this all i'm
portant question. He said that the
argument that regulation would re-
tard railroad development in Idaho
cious, for the reason that in the face
OF the proposed regulation, railroads
had begun an era of unprecedented
construction in Idaho and the north
! west. He maintained that the pro-
posed law was not intended to curtail
the prosperity of the railroads, but to
prevent them from charging eXor-
bitant rates, from favoring certain
interests at the expense Of others,
and to provide commission that
could listen to the complaints Of the
people and have power to fix rate
that would be reasonable and just to
the producer, the shipper, the con-
sumer, and also permit the roads to
make just profit on the Investment.
Mr.. French said he deplored the fact
that a systematic effort had been
made TO discredit the administration
of President Roosevelt in order to
distract attention from the real issue,
but, he asserted that the President
was right and that he deserved the
support OF all right thinking people
In this battle in behalf of the people
Mr.. French commended that much oil
the social and business unrest due tC
the unequal opportunities granted by
the railroads to the favored few, ant
that with a just rate law much Of
the dscord would disappear.
One of the first measures intro
duced by Senator Hepburn when h,
, came to the Senate was bill author
izing the construction Of miniatur,
models of battleships, and providin,
that the model Of the battleshiJ
named for each separate state, b.
placed in the Capitol building o
such states. 1t is great education
+ al feature, as there are millions o
people who never have occasion t,
!. see war vessel. by having mode
Of a war vesse.-eXactly reproduc.
ton In every detail-a great man,
people will have an opportunity tt
2 form an idea of what battleship is
) 1t will doubtless create a great dea
Il Of interest in the Navy and it will bt
a means of affurdlng an opportunit,
to a great many people of finding GU
just what the Navy is. Accordin,
to the measure, should it be enacted
into law, a model Of the new battle
ship Idaho will be placed in tn
Capitol building at Boise.
The bill introduced by Senate
Hepburn at the beginning Of tn
session, providing for the Withdrawal
= from public entry of lands needed TO
: townsite purposes in connection will
2 irrigation projects, has been favor
: ably reported from the Senate Com
t mittee, and 1t is expected that it vii
Q pass the Senate within Il short time
Senator Hepburn has secured tn
4 passage in the Senate Of a bill appro
0 priating $25, 900 for the purpose @
!, establishing a fish hatchery In Idaho
. A Healing Gospel.