The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-06
CAN NOT AGREE.
Conference Committee on Rate
Bill Quits.
Asks That New One BE
Appointed.
THIS is THE SECOND.
Primary Committee Is Also
Formally Discharged.
Rate Committee at Variance on
Amount of Cut.

| The conference committee to which
was referred the maximum freight
rate bill IN the hope that their efforts
would be a bill satisfactory to both
ends of the legislature has announced
| that they cannot agree and have asked
to be relieved and that a new commit
tee be appointed.
This the second committee which
has failed to agree the committee on
the primary election bill failing to
agree Monday and asked that a new
committee be appointed. Speaker Sim
mons last night appointed Holdren of
Montgomery who was the author of
| the primary bill killed by the house
and afterwards resurrected by the
senate, and Kinnison of Finney and
Taylor of Osborne county as the new
conference committee on the primary
election bill.
The senate conferees on the maxi
mum freight rate bill refuse to accede
a point and demanded that the house
strike out all amendments which they
have made to the original bill, which
was turned down by the senate when
they introduced new bill fixing the
rates on grain and grain products
alone. The house committee offered
to accept a sliding scale but insisted
on a greater reduction than the senate
committee would consider. The senate
committee refused to entertain the
proposition made by the house COM
mittee and insisted that the reduction
should be a horizontal reduction of 5
per cent. The house committee Of
fered to accept an 8 per cent reduc-
ton if it was made a horizontal cut
and the house distance tariffs consid-
cred as a part of the bill.
The maximum freight rate bill
passed by the house provide for a 20
per cent reduction on grain and grain
products. hay. salt. brick. stone, ce-
~ 1v16
commodities.
The senate committee refused to
entertain a bill reducing freight rates
on comm odities other than grain and
grain products, arguing that there is
no demand for legislation touching the
other commodities included in the
house bil.e Numerous meetings have
been held by the two committees and
committee at any rate to affect. a
compromise.
Smith and Hayden. the senator's on
the committee. refused to yield an
of Morgan of Reno, White and Snyder.
The railroads have already granted a
reduction of Z per cent on grain and
grain products and the senate COM
ton of per cent. Realizing the inn
possibility of an agreement the senate
committee suggests that the report
that they are unable to come to an
understanding ana ask for new COM
mittees from both branches of the
legislature.
The report of the committee was
accepted and new committee will be
appointed and another attempt made
to secure a maximum freight rate law.
Representative Morgan made the
following statement: ''The conference
committee of the senate refused to
concede the smallest item of tn cir bill
which was merely a reduction of 1 5 per
cent in the grain rate. The house
committee offered large concessions;
was ready to go half way, in fact. near
ly all the way towards getting togeth
er. We would have abandoned sched-
ules and accepted the horizontal cut
theory on grain rates or anything else |
consistent for self-respecting COM |
mittee. The senate committee offered |
only their bill or disagreement and
we took the latter.
II hope a new committee will be |
able to reach a reasonably fair COM
PROMISE