Evening star., 1905-10-01
SEEKING MORE LIGHT PRIVATE RAILWAY CAR
la Question to Be Asked Congress to Be Asked an APP
About Insurance Companies. preparation
LINES MARKED OUT FOR CONSTRUCTING ONE
PLANS FOR
vEsTIGATING COMMITTEE
Will
and Quasi
Busin
Congress to Be Asked an APP
preparation
FOR CONSTRUCTING ONE
FOR THE ESPECIAL USE OF THE
PRESIDENT.
When He Makes Tour Such as One
Proposed It Is on Quasi-Public
Business.

One of the subjects likely TO be discussed
at the coming session of Congress Is a
proposition TO make an appropriation for
the construction of a private railway car
for the use of the President of the United
States and an annual sum for railway
| travel for the President in his Journeys
about the country. The contemplated dis
cussion arises out of the criticism made by
certain railway officials OF the custom In
the past of Presidents accepting free pri-
vate cars from railroads.
In support of the proposition IL will be
urged, Ii Is said, that every government Of
hcial. save the President of the United
States Is given mileage when travelling.
Senators and representatives are allowed
exorbitant mileage. and IL is a notorious
fact that many OF them travel upon passes
given by the railroads and pocket the mile
age allowed by congressional appropriation.
Army and navy officers and all other Off
cials of the government are allowed their
expenses while travelling.
Upon Quasi-Public Business.
While it is true that these officials travel
usually IN direct conformity with orders
from a superior upon distinctly government
business, 1t will be claimed by the sup
porters of the new idea that the President
in his public journeys. such as the one he
Is about to make through the south, is en-
gagged upon at least quasi-public affairs, in
asmuch he goes to meet the citizens OF
the Union and In many cases to take part
in public functions,
The promoters OF the new idea VIII claim
that the President of the United States. tor
the safety of his own person, not to speak
of hts comfort and convenience, should not
be subjected to the ordinary vicissitude OF
travel In public coaches. 1t follows then
that either he must travel In private cars,
furnished by the railways as a compli-
ment. or pay the heavy expense OF private
cars out of his own pocket
Will Not Accept Courtesies.
1t Is settled that President Roosevelt will
never again accept these eourtesies at she
hands of the railways and henceforth eny
journeys that he makes upon squasi-publc
business will be attended with unusual eS-
pense. 1t costs money to travel in private
car and toe supply the commissariat for the
large party that must accompany presi-
Dental expedition.
The plan is to appropriate $4,000 for fhe
construction of private car to be at the
disposal of the President and to make the
transportation of the ear a charge upon
the treasury II Is said that the railroads
think this a good solution of the problem.
OF course the extra precaution they would
take for the safety of the expedition and
the convenience of movement would be
gladly assumed by the railroads.
1t Is pointed out that the President, when
he travels by sea, has government vessels
at his command and this suggestion Is In
the line of making the executive as indie
pendent when he moves on land