Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-13
PASSED BY THE SENATE
PROVIDING FOR INVESTIGATION
OF ALLEGED MERGER.
Mr. Tillman Resents Imputation That
the Senate is the Tool Of
the Corporations.

joint resolution reported by Mr.. Tiliman
from the Senate committee on interstate
commerce which directs the interstate COM
merce commission to investigate the charge
of discrimination and combination in re-
straint Of trade made against the railroads.
The adoption of the resolution was pre-
coded by speech by Mr.. Tillman, in which
he practically charged that the admins
tration was not proceeding in good faith to
secure railroad legislation. because he was
not satised with the Presidents advisers.
Among these he mentioned Secretary Root
and Senator Knox, the former of whom
he said was an adviser of the "magnates
responsible for the devilment'' and the lat
ter of whom had been for years attorney
for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Mr.. Knox contradicted the charge relative
to himself, saying that he never had been
attorney for the Pennsylvania railroad.
Speaking on the general railroad situation,
Mr.. Tillman said the present proceeding in
Congress In a stupendous farce. You read
in every paper that the President has won
his fight, yet when you eaxmine further you
find the Presidents two principal advisers
are Elihu Root, who has been the closest
adviser of railway magnates in New York,
and Mr. Knox, who has been for years in
the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad.
Denial by Mr.. Knox.
Mr.. Knox was not in the Senate chamber
when reference was made to him, but he
came in before the South Carolina senator
had proceeded far. He Immediately inter-
rupted Mr. Tillman to say to him that he
had been entirely mistaken in saying he
had been attorney for the Pennsylvania
railroad. II never sustained that relation
ship, either permanently or temporarily, d.
rectly or indirectly, at any time during my
career" he said. He added that he would
not consider such connection at all inn
proper.
Mr.. Tillman expressed satisfaction over
the denial. saying to Mr.. Knox that he
would respect him more for the balance
of his life
Continuing, the South Carolina senator
said that the three principal lines of road
south of the Potomac were in merger which
was controlled by the Pennsylvania and the
New York Central.
. He then spoke Of the conditions in West
Virginia and said that Notwithstanding
Gov. DawSon'S predecessor had called at
tention to the violation of the law in that
state the attorney general had done moth
ing about 1t. The people were, however,
becoming aroused. Even the poor besot-
ted Pennsylvania legislature owned body
and soul by the Pennsylvania and Reading,
had shown signs of life by adopting a reso-
luton to the control of the coal output
by the railroads as If everybody did not
know that the anthracite output is and has
been for years controlled both to guam
tity and price" He declared the Pennsyl-
vania road to be 1.-The head devil in the
whole policy of monopoly" and referring
to the Baltimore and Ohios policy in West
Virginia he said the road had practically
told the public that 1t might ''be damned"
Pressure on the President.
He declared that q very strenuous effort
had been brought to bear on the President
to grant to the railroads the privilege of
appeal to the courts before the orders of
the interstate commerce commission go in
to effect. He had even heard that threats
were being made that the President must
yield. IF he stands firm and does not
yield, then 1 will have more confidence" he
added.
Upon Mr.. Foraker asking him if he was
satisfied with the House bill, Mr.. Tiilman
replied that he was not.
Mr.. Tillman insisted upon knowing
whether Mr.. Foraker was going to vote
for the bill. Mr.. Foraker replied in Il sen
tence. Il am not he said.
Imputation Resented
The South Carolina senator then went
on to say that the Senate was under n
cloud and should take steps to clear It's good
name. THE newspaper press associations,
however controlled, and 1 have my sus-
picions on that point he said, "have edu-
Gated the people to believe that Theodore
Roosevelt is their only friend here and that
the Senate is the supple tool of the corpo-
rations unless it takes their ipse dixit"
He declared that the bill had a loophole
in 1t that freight train might be driven
through. and added: You'll never stop the
devilment till you put some millionaire in
prison and put the stripes on him..
He then proceeded to give reasons why
he thought the President could not be de-
pended upon to serve the interests of the
people. In that connection he referred to
former Attorney General Griggs,, saying
that Immediately after retiring from office
he had taken the merger case of the North
ern Securitit ? Company against the Attor-
ney General and also to former Secretary
Morton. who had, he said, been promoted
to the control of the affairs of the Equitable
Insurance Company, which was the stamp
ing ground of as dirty lot of rascals as
could be found" with the proof of having
granted rebates hanging over his head.
Jackson and Roosevelt.
Referring to the comparison between An
drew Jackson and President Roosevelt. he
said: Let us look at it. Andrew jackson
never put Nicholas Biddle in his cabinet
In his fight against the money power he
fought to the bitter end. He used no bland
ishments. he used no bludgeon. The Presi-
dent had no need for any campaign fund
but his lieutenants did. Mr.. Bliss collected
It, Mr.. Cortelyou spent it. Mr. CorteIvou
is in the cabinet and, as said, the trusted
friend and attorney of the money power
in New York, Mr.. Elihu Root ackuoW-
ledge he is very bright and great man
and / admire him. But Andrew Jackson
Eever would have taken as cabinet officer
man so closely allied with Nicholas Bid
die in the national banks"
When Mr.. Tillman closed Mr. Elkins OBJ
tained permission to have printed in the
Record the West Virginia laws compelling
railroads to make connections with other
hnes, saying that they entirely relieved the
state from the charges of disgrace made
against 1t for not having enacted adequate
laws that subject
Mr. Humans resolutions was then adopt
ed without Lewiston or opposing vote.
The Senate went into executive session at