Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-04
Some Things You Want to Know
The American COngress-Roosevelt and Congress.

follow his radical program. Against this
able to picture the ruin Of the organization
and the disruption of the party, leading to
possible democratic control. AS Mr.. Roose-
welt was a sincere republican, he agreed
with the congressional leaders that demo-
cratic control would be a calamity.
The most notable legislative battle Of the
Roosevelt administration was that waged
over the bill giving additional powers to
the Interstate Commerce commission,
known as the rate bill when under dis
cussion and as the Hepburn-Tilman act
when II was passed. The majority Of the
republican member of both houses were
convinced that any legislation along this
line was unwise. They did not so declare
publicly, but anybody who was in Wash
ington that winter knows how they talked
in private. 1t was never popular when Mr..
Roosevelt was president to oppose Mr..
Roosevelt's policies.
But as it had been agreed that some rate
bill was to be passed, the house of rep
resentatives resolved. as usual, to put II
up to the senate as quickly as possible.
The bill formulated in the house commit
tee, bearing the name of Representative
Hepburn Of Iowa, was only the frame
WOIh Tut llit INV was put lHIOukn the
house under a special rule, which pro-
hibited any genuine elaboration on the
measure, and it then went to the senate
for the seventy days war.
The senate committee on interstate com.
n'erce. republican by q large majority, Of
course, showed its contempt for the pro
posed legislation. and for its sponsor II
the White house, by turning the bill ovel
a. It, -a-Z-gE r. NI,,a A,Il lAN. a.,
charge of Senator Tillman, the bitter per.
soral and political enemy OF the presi-
dent. 1t was considered a great joke a
the expense of the president, one rellshet
even by the senator from South Carolina
But Mr.. Roosevelt was determined tina.
II should not end In a Joke.
1t soon developed that a majority OIL
the senate would support the measure
framed as Roosevelt wished'to have It, bui
that a majority Of the republican senators
insisted on the elimination OF certain fea-
lures. The fight centered, so far as was
disclosed to the public, upon the question
of broad court review or marrow court
review" The republican leaders, Aldrich,
Allison, Spooner, knox and their friends,
were for the broad court review" TIL
man and Bailey supported the presidents
narrow court review
AS the president and his democratic lieu
tenants we're not on speaking TERMS, their
intercourse was through q go-between.
Former Senator W.. 70. Chandler Of New
Hampshire was a friend OF the president
and a friend OF the fiery South Chrolihian.
The Acknowledgement Mr.. Moody, now a
justice Of the supreme court. was soon on
friendly and confidential terms with Bailey
and TillmRn. An amendment expressing
the Views of the president on the court
review question was drawn up by Mr..
Roosevelt and Mr., Moody. and was offered
In the senate by Mr.. Bailey. For weeks
the battle ragged Only one republican sena-
tor opposed the bill-Mr. Foraker. The
others In opposition TO the president were
seeking to amend It TO suit their notions
OF what was best. wisest and most con-
~servative.
Not In a quarter of a century has the
senate Witnessed a greater battle OF ora
tory than that in which Mr.. Bailey de-
Tended his Rooseveltian amendment against
the attacks of Senators Spooner and Knox
Al the end Of Mr.. Bailey's masterful pre-.
sentation Of the constitutional aspects OF
the case, Senator Hale OF Maine arose and
announced that he had been converted tc
Mr.. Bailey's views. Such scenes are rare