The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-27
.C'0nferces are Preparing
to Eliminate Hardly
Won Features.
.RUMORED PLAN TO
DELAY REPORTING.
Effort May Be Made to Rush
Emasculated Measure Through
in Dying Hours Of Con-
gress-Many Stories
Of Bargains
Made.
From Our Regular Correspondent.)

(From Our Regular Correspondent)
WARRINGTON. .. e., May 26.-The
future OF the ra te bill Is clouded by grave
doubts and fears. The bill is In the
hands OF unfriendly confcrees from the
two houses Good features will almost
certainly be eliminated 1t is absolutely
certain that the leading house conferee.
Colonel Pete Hepburn. chairman OF the
House Committee on Interstate and For
| eign Commerce. wants stricken from the
bill the Senate amendment putting ex-
press companies under the provisions OF
the bill. When charged with having said
as much. Colonel Hepburn grew 80 vio-
lently angry Friday In the course OF
discussion OF the gag rule, sending the
bill to- conference. that he transgressed
the rules Of the House by calling Re-
publican colleague. Mr.. Cooper, of Wis
consin. a liar. But the doughty Iowan
standpatter did not deny uitqulvocally
that he had said. MS charged. that the
express amendment would have to come
out..". &
It is reported that the conferces are
already lined up to secure the elimna-
tion OF the amendment making pipe lines
common carriers. as we'll as to eliminate
the amendment referring to express com
panies.
There is a chance. however. that the
publicity given the charge that Colonel
Hepburn had reached an agreement with
Senator Aldrich that express companies
should go out Of the bill. and the further
agreement said to have been reached
with the Rhode Island sena tor, that pipe
lines should also be elimina ed ! will have
the effect OF nullifylng these bargains
and com pelling the passage of the bill
practically as It left the Senate The
btll gftnis foS,n 's far to that
made IN accordance with the agreements
Understood to have been reached by
Republican enemies OF tie bill. 3,a
K, There are fears entertained by Demo-
Gratis that the Republican conferees have
formulated a plan to delay reporting to
the two houses the result of the confer
sences until Congress has cleared the
decks for adjournment. In the ,hurly-
burly Of the closing hours OF Congress a
blu ema sculated entirely, and utterly
failing TO accomplish the things enumer-
ated In the title may be rushed through.
Such things have been done and such.
e:ings are done conIpa ra lively easily
every session. 1t Is evident that effective
rate regulation was never In so much
danger at 3 present.
Delusion and Snare.
There was a reference to the rate bill
In the 4 Ho e to-day. when Mr.. Lamar
fF1orida) said that the Hepburn bill with
the Senate amendments was a deluson
and a snare.
when the Hepburn hill becomes a
| law" - said Mr. Lamar ''leavinE out the
subject of classification. 1t will be found
| that a great wrong has been done to ship
| pers and consumers" go
Mr.. Lamar said he had written let
| ter to the Governor OF Nebraska, asking
In regard to the classification OF rail-
road rates by the State Railroad Com
| mission. and had received reply to his
inquiry that.there was no railroad COM
mission In Nebraska. He added mo
wonder W. ]. Bryan was defeated in
his own county and III his own precinct
You can't lick the Republican party, re-
| inforced by the railroads. "
| He said he protested against the pass
age OF the Hepburn BILL hut voted for
| It, because he recognized 1t as the best
he. could get He warned his colleagues
! that they must be alert, otherwise even
the Hepburn bill will be made a MAKE
SHIFT.
Incident to his consideration OF rate
| legislation and the necessity for still
| cy, Mr.. Lamar said that the only way the
Democrats could win, would be to con-
| vince the American people that they were
"honest, sincere. fearless to do the right,
and brave to face every danger It was
his Judgment that Is would take four
Bryan defeats to equal the defeat of the
SAFE and sane candidate OF the De-
n,ocrAcy' at the last election.
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