The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-02-06
Declares "Unbearable
Coercion" of the p. es-
ident to Fight the Rail
roads as the Cause
for Real lndignation-
Regulation Measure May
be Put Last on the
Senate Programme.
More Debate in the
House on Question.

Washington. Feb. 1.--Grave rumors
are current tonight that the senate
has fully made up its mind to Dalk
against what it declares to be unbear
able coercion on the part of the pres
ident in connection with the railroad
rate regulation.
There are modified whispers that
the leaders of the majority have dc
cided to put railway rate legislation
the last on the aenate program. and,
then if the opposing forces can not
agree upon a measure, adjourn with.
out action, as it did last congress.
The senate has become real indig
nant over the publication of report
that the president has decided upon
an extra session of congress, if leg.
islation giving to the interstate com
merce commission the power to fix
conte~ted rate is not enacted.
Some of the senators affirm tna,
The president inspired the announce.
ment. They declare that il is a re.
fection upon their we'll known charac
teristics of wise deliberation to pre-
judice action by an --uncalled for
threat. They say there are months on
time ahead for action and insist that
II would be more becoming the dig
nifty of the senate for the executive
&c wait until it was demonstrated thai
the upper body of congress had failed
in it,, purpose.
Friends of the president laugh al
the charge. They declare that the
president has not made any threats
but explain that he is deeply in ear
nest and say they have no doubt an
extra session may be called if the
Eenate attempts to thwart the peoples
will.
1t is significant that the senate is
doing very little now. All the time is
occupied in scu.sing ship subsidy
which will not pass the house. |;
: will soon be time for the appropria
zion bills. There are eleven great
supply bills. One has passed the low
sr branch
The house indulged in another day
of oratory on the Hepburn railroad
rate bill today. A notable attack was
made upon the measure by Represen
publican. It's passage was advocated
by Repre-. entative Knapp. (Rep.. N
~, French. (Rep., Idaho), Heflin
(Dem., Ala), and Shackletord, (Dem.
MOI
Mr.. French made the shortest
speech so far as ne spoke for ono
minute, simply telling the house tha
she bill was all right and that he
was for it.
In order to provide more time 70,
debate the house will beginning to
.norrow, meet at IL o'clock each day
the Hepburn bill is before it.
Mr.. Shackleford declared that rate
regulation was an old Democratic
doctrine that has been appropriated
by Theodore Roosevelt. Mr.. Shack
Ieford declared that he was In favol
of government ownership of rail
ways as against railroad ownership o.
governments.
IF the government ownership is Il
be put off," he claimed, "it can only
be by the railroads themselves com
plying with the rules of common JUS
tice and fair dealing
Mr.. Sibiey prefaced his remarks b,
stating that 1T Is not a pleasing pc
sition for me to stand in opposition Il
a measure which will receive the vote.
of practically the whole bodys-of the
house and to differ with those mel
whose wisdom, integrity and patriot
Ism are disceinible In most affair!
pertaining to the public good. An6
yet, when representative in con
sress believes sincerely, even if mis-
takenly, that pending measure il
fraught with evil for the common
veal, he would be untrue. not alone
TO his country, but to himself, If h,
failed to act in conformity with HI.
belief.
"This measure" he argued, please
Mr. Hearst and Mr. Byran, not be
cause IL is altogether good, or be
feved by them to be a complete pan
aeea for existing evils, but becaus
Il Is a distinct advance towards thu
goal OF government ownership.
would not say that all who advocat'
the bill are socialists, and anarchists
none the less it can be truthful,
said that every socialist and anar
ehist endorses the measure.
Men, he declared, "the majorlt,
Of whom are practically igyorant .
the intricate mechanism OF transpoI