Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-15
RoosEvELT's DENIAL.
President Shows Tillman and chand
Ter Did Not Tell Truth.


Washington. May 15.--The sensation
al charges against the president made
by Senator Tillman In the senate last
Saturday In connection with the pro-
posed rate bill legislation received Of
flcial attention last evening when a
statement was issued from the white
house giving an account of the presi-
dents course In connection with pend
ing railroad legislation and the part
taken by Attorney General Moody The
statement was in the form of two let
ters, one from the president to Sena-
tor Allison and the other from MFR.
Moody to the president, both dated
yesterday.
The presidents letter to Senator AL
HsOn Is devoid of sensationalism. but
is clear, concise statement In which
the president declares that "in no case
either In the case Of Chandler or any
one else, was there the slightest oppor-
tunlty for any honest misconceptions
OF my attitude or any belief that
pledged myself specifically to one and
only one amendment or set Of amend
ments or that I would not be satisfied
with any amendment which preserved
the essential features OF the Hepburn
bill as 1t came from the house"
The president says that as to many
Of the amendments, including the so
called Long-Overman. Bacon and
Spooner amendments, he had said he
should be entirely satisfied to hava
them in the bill and suggested modifi-
cation as to other amendments but
that "as to none lof the amendmentsi
did ever say either to Mr.. Chandler
or to any one else that should insist
upon having them in the bill as a
condition Of my approval and on the
contrary he (the president) was care
f,ll to state that he was not trying to
dictate any particular program of ac-
ton.
The president says the statements
made to Senator Chandler were the
same In substance as those made to
Mr.. Allison and other senator's of both
parties.
He says he was asked to see Chand-
Ter as the representative Of Mr.. Till
man in charge Of the bill and that the
conferences Attorney General Moody
had with Senators Tillman and Bailey
were such as had been held with many
ether senators to determine the phrase
o1ogy and discuss the effect Of amend
ments proposed by them
The president states that he became
convinced that 1t was impossible for
senators with advantage to use him
as an intermediary and suggested to
all to whom he spoke that they COM
municate with Senator Allison, whose
purposes and the presidents were
identical"
The president says that his own
opinion that the Allison amendment in
no way changed the court review as
provided In the original Hepburn bill
is also the opinion of Attorney Gener-
al Moody and Secretaries Root and
Taft.
The attorney generals letter gives an
account of the presidents request of
the conferences which Mr.. Moody had
with Senators Tiilman and Bailey re-
garding the court review feature. He
says he advised the president that he
should not at any stage become finally
committed beyond recall to any form
Of language in any part of the bill and
the president affirmed the wisdom of
that course.
He reviews the discussion of inter-
locutory injunctions and concludes that
there was nothing in the Converse
tons between the senators and him
self which bound the president to any
particular amendment.
Former Senator Chandler refused to
discuss the statement from the white
house. He indicated that he did not
expect to issue statement at this time
bearing on the subject. He also indi-
Gated that he was anxious to have rail-
-. LOT tnI
Regarding his visits to the white
house, Mr. Chandler said that previous
to his Invitation to call to see the
president, on March 81, following
which he conferred with the president
regarding the pending rate bill, he had
not been at the white house for about
month. and that previous to that in
vitation he had no immediate intention
Of soing there.
He said that he did not 80 to the