Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-17
President Roosevelt Opp osed
to Accepting Transportation.
CUSTOM OF OFFICIALS
HAVE USUALLY TAKEN WHAT
HAS BEEN GLADLY OFFERED.
Return to the Companies Has Been in
Wide Advertising and In
creased Business.


President has definitely announced he
will make to the south in October next is
the interesting fact that he will probably
refuse to accept transportation over the
railroad lines without the payment of
regular charges. Not an official at the
White House will answer yes or no to an
inquiry as to whether the President paid
all of his own expenses, together with
those of the party that accompanied him.
on the recent journey to the west. but
there is fairly good authority for saying
that he did so and that he will not place
himself under obligations to railroads or
to the Pullman company.
Will Establish a Precedent.
If 1t is true that the President has
ceased to accept the really earnest offers
of the railroad and Pullman people to put
at his service at any time the best trains
to be found by them it will be the estab-
lishment of a precedent that may be far
reaching in official and public life. A rail-
road man recently charged before the
Senate committee on interstate commerce
that the law against free transportation
is daily violated by public men and that
Presidents of the United States have for
many years made the law negative by
riding on railroads without paying trans
pOrtation. Whatever President Roosevelt
came into Office he found that his prede
cessors, unless 1t was President Harri-
son, had uniformly accepted offers OF
trains to all parts of the country. Presi-
dent Mckinley had made many notable
trips, and the railroads and Pullman peo-
pie had never rendered a bill or even
thought of presenting one. They were
glad to oblige the President or the coun-
try. Further than that was the fact that
his trips induced much travel over their
lines and was profitable to them. Excur-
sion trains are run to all cities where the
President stops, and the railroads made
Sumptuously Entertained.
The Pullman people have never contrib
uted to these trips, unless 1t was in furnish
ing cars, and it has been understood that
the railroads have paid for the cars that
were used. It is known that in the furnish
ing of meals, dining cars, ETC.. the railroads
have borne the expenses. the Pullman Com
pany presenting bills to the roads. Each
road Travelled over has paid the expenses
on its own lines. The trains have in the
past been sumptuously fitted up, and Large
numbers of persons have been guests Of the
President, including cabinet officers, news
paper men and personal friends If the ex-
penses had been paid out of the pockets OF
the chief executives they would have
amounted to many thousands Of dollars,
and three or four of them would have
nearly bankrupted a President, especially
President Roosevelt. Whiskeys, wines,
champagnes. waters Of all kinds and tastes.
the finest of cigars and the finest viands
have been stocked in the cars. No expense
whatever has been spared. On the recent
trip there were few cars and few guests.
Besides the President and Secretary Loeb
there were one or two stenographers, two
messengers, three newspaper men, repre-
sentlng press associations, one photog-
rapher and some secret service officers.
1t is not probable that the railroads will
accept full transportation charges. Their
rules for half rates and other special rates
fairly good rate. It is probable that the re-
cent hunting trip of the President cost him
5000. 1t was noticed that the train that
took him to the hunting grounds did not
stay on the side track at the disposition of
the party, but was sent on, returning when
the party was ready to enter 1t for return
to Washington. When these trains are fur
nished free they remain with the party
throughout, the roads caring little whether
they are sent back. Paying his own way,
the President would not keep them, and
would use them only when he was travel
ing.
The Pennsylvania road has been especially
kind and courteous in it's treatment of
Presidents. 1t has been used more than
any other road in the country. The officials
OF the road have always felt that nothing
was too good for Presidents of the United
States. and the best trains have been put
at the service of the various chief execu-
tives With Mckinley there was much
travel between New York and Canton, Ohio.
and 1t was always over the PENNSYLVANIA
With President Roosevelt 1t has been used
between here and New York.