Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-05
MILLARD AND A RATE BILL
Senior Senator from Nebraska Reststes
His Position.
JUSTICE FOR ALL IS HIS PLATFORM
says He is ON Friendly Terms with
the President and in Line
with the Executive
Policy.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 4.-(Special )-Sen-
ator Millard has given out the following
prepared statement replying to a Nebraska
newspaper that asserted that he had not
for n year been on the best of terms with
the president:
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The story must have been invented by
some one who is unfriendly. Why, only
within the last week or ten days President
Roosevelt took occasion TO say to me that
he considered me to be one of his staunch-
est friends in the senate.
Republicans throughout the state know
that | am a strong partisan--that always
support the republican ticket (as the record
win show. and that / have always sup
ported the republican administration, 1t
is my purpose to continue to support ad-
ministration measures in the senate which
include statehood for the territories, the
Philippine tariff reduction, the railway rate
question and all questions of party policy
urged by the president upon the considera-
tion of the senate. ! shall vote with my
party In all cases.
Justice 70 the Railroads.
"As my residence in Nebras ska antedates
the advent Of most OF the citizens OF the
state. having settled in the territory in 1857,
1 believe / know the people and the people
have come to know me- Some of them
know, as | do, what It is 10 reside in
region without railroads and the value Of
railroads to the business interests and I"
! the farmers and the uplift they give .
I land value everywhere. While railway me-
| in many cases have done things they should
not have done. 1t is none the less truo
that the great wealth of Nebraska is i'm
an important degree due to the help of
4 the railways in getting our products to
! market. and in many other ways. This
| fact should be recognized by men of all
parties.
! "Conceding that abuses have grown up
! in the method of making railroad tariffs
which call for restrictive legislation, We
must not forget that the railroads are
entitled to fair treatment at the hands Of
congress. Notwithstanding they do things
at times that we cannot commend. My
opinion is that the railway is entitled to the
same consideration that is due any great
corporation large business concern or in
notwithstanding less. nothing more.
Position of the Senator.
my position in this regard is in harmony
+! with that of President Roosevelt, who in
his message at the opening of congress,
suggesting remedial legislation in the iu-
/ terest of shippers. used this language:
| Let me most earnestly say tnat tneSe
! recommendations are not made in any
! spirit of hostility to the railroads. On
ethical grounds. on grounds of right. such
| hostility would be intolerabie; and on the
grounds OF more national self-interest We
i must remember that such hostility would
sne Msisars - niu sail su
\ Investors, multitude Of railway employees,
wageworkers and most severely against
| the interest of the public as whole.
| believe that on the whole our railroads
have done werl and not i'll; but the rail-
be exposed to competition with those who
have no such desire, and the only way 70
secure this end Is TO give TO some govern
ment tribunal the power to see that justice
is done.
Business men throughout Nebraska
know that 1 am disposed to be conserva-
tive in expressing views on any important
subject of legislation. In respect to a
revision of the interstate commerce law
there is every reason to believe that the
senate will adopt such amendments &c
the statutes as will meet the approval OF
the president and the people of Nebraska
In my Judgment, the new legislation viii
not be radical. but will be based upon tn,
4 principle of the square deal, to which
pledge my best endeavors, regardless OF
what the result may be to my politica
fortunes.
Friendly to Both Sides.
The senator's private secretary, through
whom this statement comes, adds for him
self
Senator Millard's best friends will under
stand this. While he is friendly with th'
I railway interest. he is equally friendly will
the business interests and producers o
Nebraska, and he will treat every interes
fairly, whether 1t be that of citizen. firm
! or corporation. II the good citizens o
Nebraska will wait until the railroad rat
bill comes up in the senate this session
they will have every reason to be satisfied
with Senator Millard's action in regar,
to it."