Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-01
DO[L|V[R SPEAKS
FOR The RA|E Bill
Iowa's Junior Senator Makes a
Great Address in the Senate
Today
ATTRACTS MUCH ATTENTION
Iii. Speech the First in Support Of
tho Measure, the iowan Being Re-
aardsd 40 the Particular Champion
of the Proposed Law-The Caller
1 lea Crowded to Hear Him.

washington, March 1.-That the In
terest In the railroad rate question
continues unabated was made mani
fest again today by the large audience
which greeted Dolliver from the SEN
ate galleries when he rose to speak on
the Dolliver- Hepburn bill. From tho
first the Iowa senator has been the
champion Of the policy Of giving the
Interstate commerce commission full
authority and the friends of the house
bill have expected him to take lead
Ing part in pressing consideration Oh
the measure, Notwithstanding 1t has
been placed in charge Of another SEN
ator. His was the first speech in sup
port OF the bill.
Dolliver, who spoke without notes.
began with compliments to Cullom OF
whom he spoke as the father OF inter-
state commerce legislation and to Nell
son, author OF the bill presented to the
last congress. He referred to the
fact that Foraker and Elkins had for
3herly introduced bills giving to the
( interstate commission the same powers
&f ferred In the pending bill. Il do
Nl1n," he said, ''for the double purpose
a. giving credit where 1t is due and to
protect us against the sneerw that one
hears in the senate corridors over the
acceptance OF bill hastily forced upon
ussby the other house He congratu-
lated the country that the measure was
not partisan and said 1t was fortunate
sA l, mn n ha
marched forth to be set against each
other by party leaders. The senator
then outlined the hin. pointing out
wherein It amends the existing inter-
state law and saying that. after all,
the changes were comparatively few.
''Instead Of undermining the law, the
bill fortifies It," he said, and he de-.
3clared II the present law had been
treated with the reverence and sanctity
It deserved, the American people would
have approached the subject in a
frame Of mind different from that
which now prevails.
He said the railroad companies were
unable to protect themselves against
the fragrant abuses Of private car
companies under section Of the pres
ent law. He. had not favored aboli-
ton Of these cars, but he did believe
the car companies should be regulated
by making responsible the railroad
companies employing them.
In speaking Of the interstate COM
merce commission he discussed Judge
Grosscup's recommendation for a spe-
cif1c court, but he did not accept the
theory advanced for the reason he
considered the present machinery suffi-
Client for all purposes. He recognized
the fact that 1t had become fashion
able to speak slightingly Of the inter-
state commission and defended that
body against such attacks He ex-
pressed the opinion If the lawyers had
dealt as fairly with the commission as
with the courts. the result would have
been better. Dolliver declared he did
not expect protected vendetti between
the railroads and business community,
| Slieving when the law was enacted
Il would be observed by. the carrier
and shipper alike. He predicted within
five years there would be boards Of ar
.bitration In every traffic center of the
country, SO that appeals to the COM
miosion would be the rule rather than
the exception He recognized the fact
that the question OF appeal to the courts
from orders Of the commission was the
battle-ground and he declared that as
the bill stands it leaves the door to
the courts open for protection OF all
constitutional rights. He temporarily
left that point and took up the rebate
question, saying he did not agree with
either Foraker or Bacon that secret
practices had been abandoned. He
did not believe the Elkins bill adequate
for protection against these practices.
eThe difficulty about rebates is not
in Furnishing violations OF law, he said,
but In discovering them, and we have
undertaken to amend the law so as to
cover that defect"
ruApee "a IcNoREn.