Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-13
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE

ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Washington Bureau Of the Courier.
Washington, D. c., Jan. II.
A good many sessions of congress
have passed since the general condi-
tons with respect to settled pro.
gram or policy were as chaotic as at
present
So far as the senate is concerned it
Is practically impossible to forecast
the order of proceedings week in
advance. Your correspondent asked
very prominent senator yesterday;
man in position to know what is
going on and what Is likely to go on
If anybody does; what program had
been mapped out for the next month,
and he remarked that there was no
program for the next week. even.
Ordinarily the leading senators have
much influence in the general shaping
OF the legislation in the senate; they
know pretty well what lines will be
followed and where they will be at
at a given time but they are not pre-.
dieting now. The TACT is that condi.
lions make it rather delicate matter
to determine the future even for two
days. The powerful senators who, as
a general thing are together upon the
more important questions affecting
the country are, this session treading
different paths. at least with respect
to what is considered the most i'm
pcrtant legislation of the session; the
railroad rate problem.
Parting of the Ways.
When the railroad rate question Is
resched- and the preliminary stage
has been reached-at that point is
found the parting of the ways. One
group of senators is headed in one ti,
rection and another group desires to
continue in another. The forces are
divided and divided in manner that
creates an embarrassing situation For
instance Senators Aldrich, Foraker
Elkins. Kean. Dick. Penrose, Calling
er, Perkins, Burrows. Alger, Dryden.
Scott Plat, Depew. and others are
there is reason to believe, opposed to
giving to the interstate commerce
commission the power to fix railroad
rates. 1t is claimed that the powerful
Senator Spooner, of Wisconsin. may be
properly added to this list and that
Senators Lodge and Crane have some
doubts in their own minds as to the
wisdom of comforting such power on
a federal tribunal.
Work to Cross-Purposes.
In the other section of the senate
may be found Senators Allison, Dolli-
yer, Cullom, Beveridge, Hale, Clapp,
Nelson. Long, Hemenway. and others
who stand for the proposition to give
the commission authority to fix rate,
If upon complaint the commission de-
cides rate to be unjust.
Obviously each section will pursue
policy that will be calculated to
further the ends desired. The
senators opposed to the plan
to give the commission the rate
making power will endeavor to shape
the course of the senate so as to head
off this kind of legislation and the sec
ton favoring the granting of the rate
making power will work to the accom-
plishment of that end Therefore, even
thus early in the session these power
full groups of senator's are working to
cross purposes so far as the ultimate
not mean that all senators are not
Ivy al W IllS SSISl oil WClldle VI Iut
country or that they will fail to pro.
tect it's interests
Like Game of Chess.
1t will be game of chess in the
senate and the forces led by Senator
Foraker will undertake to checkmate
the forces who are trying to mate
the railroads. Every move will be
made with deliberatio.. and after full
discussion and conference 1t will be
an interesting game because the stake
Is so great and because the players
are SUCH masters of the art of diplo.
macy and tact.
All other matters In the senate,
while assuming to be of first grade i'm
portance and interest, will be wholly
secondary to the main issue. The
various matters of legislation will be
used as pawns in the great game!
Confusion in House.
In the house, where usually the
schedule is pretty we'll cut out and
the course determined there is more
or less confusion. With a tremendous
majority and many conflicting ques
lions arising, Uncle Joe is finding it a
hard matter to control the boys AT
" CoChI lAS SIeLC1OSu 4uSotlOll Is up
permost and it is asserted that small
sized revolt is in the air unless the
speaker yields to the dem ands of the
faction that is opposed to the bill pro
viding for two joint states to be com.
posed of Oklahoma and Indian terri.
tory and New Mexico and Arizona 1t
has been supposed that the house, hay.
ing passed last session the Hamilton
bill which creates two states out of
these four territories, would speedily
pass practically the same bill this SEES
sion. Now 1t looks very blue for the
proposition, provided the insurgents,
as they are called, do what they say
they will do.
The Tariff Question.
And now it appears that the tariff