Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-02-09
RAILROAD RATES
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FAvoRs
HEPBURN BILL.
HAS ISSUED NO uLTlmATuM

But Would Not Compromise on Lesls.
iatlon Not In Accord with vlewr
Expressed In His Messaoe.-DeepIy
Interested In Philippines and State.
hood Measures.
washington.-Presid Roosevelt 10
not trying to dictate to Congress what
II shall do or not do regarding rail-
road rate legislation or any other
problem OF legislation. He has not de-
livcrcd To the Senate or To the House
any sort Of an "ultimatnm" on subjects
OF Legislation. anu has not held over
the heads OF Congress the threat OF
an extraordinary session" II he does
not obtain the legislation for which he
is hoping. This statement IL made by
authority. also. that suggestions OF
compromise OF an. sort on rate leSis-
lation which do not cmbotiy the sub
stance OF the Presidents message on
the subject have nOt appealed to tho
President. II can also be said that he
doubtless would refuse 10 accept
compromise which would affcct any
essential feature OF the proposed lcsis.
lation. What IL known as the Hep
burn bill. now under discussion by the
House. embodies substantially tho
Presidents Views. ns set forth In his
last annual message. In the early days
Of the present session he thought the
measure proposed by the Interstate
Commerce. Commlssiua waS the most
practicable offered. but after mature
consideration IL seemed To him that
the Hepburn bIii was the better.
Members Of Ia" S"nat. committee on
intcrstat. commerce have assured the
President that either the Hepburn bill
or measure rcAcmbiln. II In essential
features will be- reported to the Sen.
ate. The report of III. Senate commit.
tee Will not Ia unanimous. but II VII!
represent the views OF majority OF
the members. The report will be sup.
ported. II IN expected. by Senators
Cuilom. Doiliy"r and ciapp. and pos.
Nibly by other Republicans. aud by tho
Democratic members of the commit
tee. II can b- stated that while the
President desires that such rat. i.gi&.
lation shall bc established M he has
recommended. lie IN iirm In his at'i.
,ud" that tn" railroads as well aA the
shippers shall he dealt with justly. lie
wants nothing IN III. law that would
affect unfairly the rights ar the prop
-rty of the railroads.
IL. IL confident that legislation to
H. framed substantially nn the iincs
of III" Hepburn m"aNur" will prove
fair aiik" To III" railroads and To tho
people. ~" IL not trying to diciat.
matters of detail. Rnd. al course. will
preserve an oprn mind aS ,n proposed
amendments which do nut affect the
material and substantial features of
the bill.
Tn" President " interested In both
the Philippine taT.T and the statehood
measure. Concessions az &" either
one nf ih"m has" not. II IL stated. been
given serious consideration. ~ the
white iiout1 u u understood that an
effort is ,n h. mad" In the Senate. first
in eliminate Arizona and New Mexico
ius consideration as joint state. and
u that should fail. secondly to inror.
ipuraic in the statehood a provision for
the reference of the question of joint
statehood To the voters Of the two ter.
riiorirs. u ~ ton early yc, to say
with any degree of accuracy what tho
result Of the latter proposition may bc.