Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-05-18
THE PRESIDENT a "0UITTER.
Senators Bailey and Tillman RnthIessIy
Bring Him to Book About The
Rate Bill.

1t is seldom that the Chief Magis-
trate of the nation has been brought to
book SO ruthessly as was President
Roosevelt Saturday. when Senators
Bailey and Tillman denounced him as
"quitter" on the rate bill, and then
brought proof of their assertions. Sen
ators Bailey and Tillman proved the
President Roosevelt had entered into
secret deal with Senator Tillman to
pass the rate bill with the Bailey
Limited court review amendment"
by combination of 26 Democrats and
~ Republican votes, Ex-senator W.
+. Chandler, of New Hampshire, was
the go.between for Senator Tillman
and President Roosevelt, as the Sena-
tor refused to go to the White House
Through Mr.. Chandler the deal was
made, and both sides were pledged to
it. At the moment when success was
absolutely assured, President Roose-
welt abandoned the fight. The result
was that the Allison compromise court
review amendment was adopted Sat-
urday. without division, to the great
JOY of Senator Aldrich, and the whole
cons ervatlve contingent.
In Mr.. Tillman' S exposure of his ne
gOtiat ions with the President be Incl
dentally quoted ex-senator Chandler
DC fhof
charged Senators Knox, Foraker and
Spooner with trying 10 ruin the rate
bill with ingenious amendments. Sem
atOr Lodge, alarmed by this revela-
tiOn, used the telephone to ask the
President about it. Then be announce
ed on the floor that the President de-
nounced it as ''unqualifiedIy false"
The issue as to the falsehood now lies
between the President and ex Senator
Chandler.
1t is notable that the President made
no denial of the charge that he had
ente red into secret deal with Mr..
Tillman and had then quit without
notice to Mr.. Tillman or to Attorney
General Moody. who was also in the
deal. The attacks of Messrs. Bailey
and Tillman upon the President were
ev identity concerted. Mr.. Bailey was
the first to deliver his broadside, and
he mercilessly flayed Mr.. Roosevelt as
a gutter on tariff revision and on
other great questions that have come
up, until finally be has quit on the rate
bill at time when he had an opportu.
nifty to mount to the plane of Jefferson,
jackson and Lincoln. His closing
words were the most sensational that
have been uttered in the Senate in
many day. He said: ''Let us have |
no more talk in the Senate and talk IN |
the country about this iron man. He
is clay and very common clay at |
that" There was movement Of as.
constituent on the floor and in the gal.
leries at these words, but later when
Senator Tillman read bis detailed rev.
citation of executive instability, If not
double dealing, and its humilating
result. 1t was plain that the Texas
Senator had not gone further than
,he facts warranted. MIR. TilIman
said:
Notwithstanding just indignation
for past wrong, pocketed my pride,
and in the interests of great cause
entered into negotiations with the
President. If he had stood fast we
would have won out. Mr..
Chandler said the President had stated |
that he had come to complete dis
agreement with the senatorial lawyers, |
who were trying to injure or defeat
the bill by ingenious constitutional
methods. naming Senator Knox in ad |
dit1On to Senators Spooner and Fora
ker. X y AS for his treatment of
me shall say nothing
He closed by asking whether or not
the President should be entitled to the
81 DRY of the legislation which was con-
ceived in Democratic convention.
He would leave the answer to the peO-
pie of the country.