Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-16
Amendment Increasing it to Nine Members
Stricken Out,
Ass AMENDMENT CONES UP TODAY
senaror Oulbertson Makes Motion to
Reconsider the Section.
ATTEMPT TO CHANGE PIPE LINE SECTION
MIR. Hopkins Effort 20 EXEMPT
Panama Line from Pro-
visions of the BIN
Fails.

I
senate today concluded its consideration
of the railroad rate bill in committee OF
the whole and as soon as that provision
shall be disposed OF will take it up in the
senate. The general expectation is that the
pass question will be disposed of early
tomorrow and the general hope is that the
bill may be passed before the close Of
tomorrows session.
The pass question was brought TO life
again through the instrumentality Of
motion made by Senator Culberson, author
of the original provision, to reconsider
the vote by which It was adopted, which
was agreed to. A number OF suggestions
| in the way OF substitutes were presented
and these will have to be dealt with be-
fore the bill can be reported to the senate
After It is reported several questions will
be reopened.
The greater part Of the day was spent
in discussing the eighth section relating
to the personnel of the Interstate Com
merce commission, resulting in the elimiua-
ton Of the entire section and the restors-
ton of the present law providing for five
commissioners at salaries Of $500. During
the day Senator Tillman made a further
explanation concerning his negotiations
with the president and had former Senator
Chambers memoranda read. The presi-
dents letter to Senator Allison was also
read at the instance of the Iowa senator.
The session opened with a personal state
ment by Mr.. Tillman concerning his rela-
tions with Mr.. Aldrich.
Lodge Amendment Taken Up.
The senate began its consideration OF tho
rate bill today by taking up Senator Lodges
amendment providing for the increase of
the Interstate Commerce commission to
nine members and requiring that one be
appointed from each of the judicial circuits
| of the country.
Senator Hopkins opposed the amendment
on the gornud that IL would deprive the
commission OF its national character. The
senator from Massachusetts, and the sena-
! tor from Maine (Mr. Hale) seek TO inject
sectionalism into the work Of the commits
sion," he said. He also opposed the en-
! largement of the commission,
! Mr.. Hopkins also found fault with the
proposed increase Of salary for the men,
| bers of the commission. I'VE are running
mad in our efforts to increase salaries OF
| officials" he declared.
| The amendment received the hearty en-
dorsement of Senator Martin. who especially
commended the propositions to increase
salaries, increase the size of the commission
| and distribute the members throughout the
| country.
| Does the senator know any reason why
| we should legislate out OF office good men,
| such as the present members OF the COM
/ mssion?" asked Senator Beveridge, and
the Virginia senator said that II the amend
men should prevail the president would not
! be prohibited from reappointing the menu
| bers of the present commission
| Tbara No Immediate reference to
! the president when the senate convened
| today but the business had not pro-
ceeded for more than ten minutes when
| Senator Tillman took the floor TO cor
! rect a statement concerning his confer
| ences with Senator Aldrich He called
| attention to an article printed in WASH
| ington paper yesterday, the purport OF
| which was that the South Carolina sena-
| tor had said that Mr.. Aldrich had sought
| to make an alliance with him rather than
] with the president
Mr.. Tillman said:
'It is not my habit to give out for
/ publication private conversations with
J other senator's, but l talk very freely with
/ newspapermen. In this statement there
are errors of fact and of statement and
| desire to say that l never gave out any
! such statement"
! Mr.. Aldrich contented himself with ex-
! pressing himselm over the fact that the
/ correction had been made Il never saw
| so many misstatements gathered in one
small paragraph as are made in this short
article" he said.
The adoption of the amendment to the
rate bill offered by Mr. Foraker reducing
| the number of commissioners 70 FIVE, which
| followed the tabiing OF the Lodge-H Hale
| amendment increasing the number TO nine,
| brought the terms Of section back to
| those of the present law and in view OF
! this fact Senator Clark (Ark) moved To-
/ strike out the entire section The motion
prevailed without debate The reading OF
| the bill by sections was then completed,
but the presentation of amendments was
continued.
Among these amendments was one sug-
gested by Senator Carmack, holding com
mon carriers responsible for damage to
| property in process OF transportation from
one state 20 another when caused by neg
! Iigence, regardless Of all contracts Of ex-
| emption. The amendment was adopted.
Senator Hopkins sought in the interest
OF the Union oil company to secure a mod
| ihcation OF the senate amendment making
common carriers Of oil pipe lines. The
| Union company has a line across the 18th
mus OF Panama and Senator Morgan had
| the bill so amended as to apply to that
| line or other lines on the isthmus
MT Hopkins moved to reconsider the mo-
ton by which the amendment was adopted.
Speaking TO the motion, Senator Morgan
said the concession by the president for
pipe line IN the canal zone had an oily, not
| TO say a hshy smell and was peculiarly
pronounced case Of graft. He declared
other lines had been denied the same
privileges granted to the Cn;on company
ana II was "a sheer. cold usurpation OF
power" In the course Of his remarks the
Alabama senator announced his determi-
nation not 10 dcsist in his efforts to force
Attorney Cromwell 10 talk further about
canal anaiTs-
After a somewhat general discussion the
motion was rejected.
The senate then agreed 10 thu mOtion