The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-24
CRUSH TIE CRUSHER
Railroads Attempt to Kill the Pres
ident Politically.
HIS FAIR PROPOSITION REJECTED
Mr.. Roosevelt Thereupon Blames
Railroad Kings for the Spread
of Socialism.
Row York sus, Special Services

New York. March 24.-Under the head
Ing, Railroads Threaten Roosevelt with
Political Defeat in 1904" the Herald to-
day publishes the following from it's
Washington correspondent: Behind the
scenes in Washington there is under way
a contest that in it's bearings on national
parties and the political future Of public
men and because of public sentiment on
one side and the vast interests involved
on the other, is likely to be more potent
than the isthnian canal, Cuban relief and
revenue reduction questions rolled into
one.
1t has to do with tho attitude that shall
be maintained by President Roosevelt, the
administrative officers under him and con-
gress toward the railroads of the country.
The capitalists who are managing and
manipulating these properties are men
whose influence can he felt in politics or
business from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific.
While all this has been going on, the
big railroad men Of the country have
been paying occasional visits to Washing
ton for the purpose of protecting their
interests at the White House and in con-
gress. For three months there has been
q steady stream of these f1nanciers. j. +.
Morgan has heen there three or four
times. Daniel S. Lamont, Marvin Hugh
lit, E. H. Hartman, James ]. Hill. Paul
Morton, StuyVesant Fish and dozen
others have been here off and on, all
armed with the argument that the presi-
dent should let we'll enough alone
Interstate Commerce Lead-Of.
Alarm was felt in the first place over
the activity of the interstate commerce
commission in making an investigation
for the avoWed purpose of ascertaining
how the law was being violated and then
dor unl,nt hnr
or not The railroad men have been MAX
ing ironical boasts that the interstate
commerce commission did not enforce the
law and had made no effort to do It. This
put the interstate commerce commission
on it's mettle, and it decided to see that
the law was enforced, unless the presl-
dent interoosed.
To obtain that interposition many visits
were naid to the White House. The
president was given very vivid descrip-
lions of what a panic meant. and 1t was a
matter of easy inference that II me en-
couraged the enforcement OF what the
callers characterized as an Obsolete ana
oppressive law he could not expect po-
litical support from the business interests
Of the country who felt that they were
about to be attacked. f.
II is related that during one of these
interviews the president Of western and
southern railroad, the stock OF which
few years ago was selling at ~ ana IS
now at rar and half, was very lns1stent
in describing the iniquitous feature OF the
interstate Jaw.
wou1dn,t Meet Him Half Way.
The president told him that he would
no verv clad TO meet the railroad men of
the country, with the representatives of
the shippers, and perfect law upon
which all could agree and which would
safoouard every interest and do injustice
to none. He would use his influence TO
pass such law.
The railroad men rejected the PROPOSE
ton, declaring that the railroad men
wanted no law at all, or law thae
should be a dead letter, claiming that the
railroads under their present conserve
tive management could be absolutely
trusted to Cypress NO one. The presl-
DENTS reply was characteristic RE is
reported to have told the railroad presl-
dent that such men as he were almost
entirely responsible for the spread CT
socialistic sentiment in this country.