The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1910-07-08

the bOuse OF representatives, and no
democrat in the entire house more con
=iztently and obediently follows the lea d
Of that great minority leader than does
chis 90 called repUbIicaD, this miSnamed
iDsurgeut, Miles PoiBdexter-
The house has just passed what is
known as the railway rate bill, which is
bill enarging the scope and effective
ness of the Hepburn railway rate law
now in force. The particular item in
that bill which made it stronger aud
more effective as a measure regulating
great public service corporations was
the establishment Of a commerce court
to expedite the determination OF com
plants Of shippers against the railway
corporations. The great trouble with
the Hepburn bill lay in the fact that
when a complaint was made either by
railway company or shipper, the ma
chinery provided to investigate and rule
upon these complaints was so cumber
some and subject to so much delay that
the desired relief in just cases was often
delayed too long to be OF benefit to the
complaining parties. The establishment
of this court meets the question and
brings justice to all parties concerned in
the speedest possible manner.
This great republican (?) in The face Of
the fact that this was a republican meas
ure, indorsed by the republicans OF the
house and by the administration, pro-
strike out the entire clause establishing
a court of-cOmmerce, thus emasculating
the bill Of its most important feature,
and on this he voted consistently with
the democratic minority as his assOci-
ates, even to the very last day that the
bill was up for passage, to bring about
this disastrous amendment to such a
splendid piece of legislation. He voted
for many other amendments, each one
tending TO weaken and destroy the feet
iveness of this great piece of legislation,
all supported by the democratic minority,
assisted by Mr.. Poindexter, in an attempt
to embarrass the republican majority and
the administration at Washington. He
voted for every amendment to the bill
offered By any democrat that went to
the destruction of the purpose and intent
of the bill. On the last day, after the
house was to vote on the subject, he
voted for u motion made by Mr.. Adam
2 hn
bill 70 the committee with instructions
to strike out the commerce court, and
again We find him check and i0wl with
Adamson Of Georgia and Champ Clark
Of Missouri leading the fight against the
republican party, behind whO-e good
name he has clOeked throug ghout hi e0-
tire service his ultra democratic tendeu-
cips, and only after he had failed in every
attempt made by the democratic party
and by himself as an individual to de-
strOy the entire structure Of this splendid
piece Of legislatjo did ne finally cou
seat. together with about one half of the
democratic minority, to vote for the bill
on its final passage, and this was the
first time he ives ever known on record
vote, on a republican measure. 10 even
90 that far. But after having elected
his venom to it's fullest extent, having
done every thing in biH power to aid the
democrats and embarrass the majority
party, he did not dare face his constitu
ency and vote against the entire bill.
When | offered an amendment to the
bill, one which has been advocated by
the railroad men Of this country, both
companies end employees, giving to the
families Of deserving employees who had
died in the service, the right OF free
transportation at the company's discre
ton over the various lines, he, this
champion of the people, without the
slightest compunction, voted against
this amendment and was instrumental,
by his vote, in it's defeat.