Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-03
MAKING NO THREATS
Authorative Statement Of Attituds Of
President Toward Legislation.
NO ULTlMATUM TO LAW MAKERS
Chief Executive Deeply Interested in
Pending Measures
STANDS BY HIS LAST MESSAGE
Hepburn Bill Embodiss His Ideas on Rail-
way Legislation.
SENATE COMMITTEE WILL REPORT IT
This Measure, or One Like II, Will
Receive support of st Least
STANDS BY HIS LAST MESSAG
SENATE COMMITTEE WILL REPORT II
This Measure, or One Like II, VIII
Receive support of nt Least
Three Republicans and
All Democrats,

WAS1tlNGION, feD. PRESIDENT
Roosevelt is not trying to dictate to con
gress what it shall do or not do regarding
railroad rate legislation or any other prob
lem Of legislation. Hc has not delivered to
the senate or to the house any sort of an
''ultimatum" on subjects of legislation and
las 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 Is
made by authority; also that suggestions
Of compromise OF any sort on rate regu-
lation which do not embody the substance
of the presidents message on the subject
have not appealed to the president 1t can
also be said that he doubtless would re-
fuse to accept a compromise which would
affect any essential feature of the proposed
legislation.
What Is known as the Hepburn bill now
under discussion by the house embodies
substantially the presidents views set
forth in his last annual message. In the
early days OF the present session he
thought the measure proposed by the In
terstatc, Commerce commission was the
most practicable offered; but after mature
consideration it seemed to him that the
Hepburn bill was better.
wIIReport Hepburn Bill.
Members of the senate committee on in
terstate commerce have assured the presi-
dent that either the Hepburn bill or a
measure resembling it in essential features
will DO reported to the senate. The senate
committee will not be unanimous, but 1t
will represent the views of a majority Of
the members. The report will be supported.
II is expected, by Senators Cullom, Dolli-
Yer and Clapp and possibly by other repub-
licans and by the democratic members OF
the committee. It can be stated that while
the president desires that such rate legis-
iation shall be established as he has recon-
mended he is firm in his attitude that the
railroads well as the shippers will be
dealt with entirely justly. He wants moth
ing in the law that would affect unfairly
the rights or the property of the railroads
He is confident that legislation to be
framed substantially on the lines OF the
Hepburn measures wili prove fair alike to
the railroads and to the people. He is not
trying to dictate matters of detail and of
course. will preserve an open mind as to
proposed amendments which do not affect
the material and substantial features Of
the bill Senators Dolliver and Clapp had
another talk with the president today on
the rate regulation question following a
meeting of the senate committee at which
the subject was under consideration.
status of Statehood Measure.
The president is interested deeply in both
the Philippine tariff bill and the statehood
measure. Concessions as to either one Of
them have not It is stated been given
serious consideration. At the White House
II IS understood that an effort is to be made
in the senate, first. 10 eliminate Arizona
and New Mexico from consideration as a
Joint stcte, and IL that should fail. secondly,
to incorporate in the statehood bill a pro-
vision for. tho reference OF the question OF
Joint statehood to the voters Of the two
territories, 1t is too early yet 10 say with
any degree OF accuracy what the result Of
the latter proposition may he. Senator
Beveridgc of Indiana. chairman of the COM
nlittee on territories, has assured the prosi-
dent that In his judgment the measure as
II stands ultimately will he. enacted into
law. That would be the president de-
sires, but Il Is not unlikely that he would
sign the bill. even if it were sent to him
with the referendum proposition included.
Fight on philippine BiII.
y vigorous fight is being made on the
philippine bill. Just now II is not merely a
majority and minority on the measure. cor
the senate particularly is divided into sew
eral groups the measure. each one of
which represents different view. Whether
these divergent views can he resolved and
the measure, practically rs Il stands
enacted into law or not, remains yet to he
determined. Secretary TAFT. who Is a
steunch advocate of tho bill. has let Il be
understood that no compromise involving
an incroasr Of the tariff rates on Philippine
sugar and tobacco imports over the 25 per
cent rat" proposed i'm the pending measure
Will he accepted II lhis views arc TO obtain.
lie spurns the suggestion that in order 10
secure votes for tho Hepburn rate rcgula-
tion hill tho administration would he will
ing To permit the Philippine sugar and to-
blcco imports to come into the United
States at a rate of 80 per cent of the Ding
ley tnrlI rates.
Secretary Taft would see the Philippine
bi.i defeated on a direct vote rather than be
party 10 any such compromise