The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-03
ROOSEVELT Is NO
LAW DICTATOR
President Is Not Trying to Coerce
Senate on Rate, Statehood or
Tariff Bills.


gress what it shall or shall not do re-
garding railroad rate regulation or any
other problem Of legislation. He has not
delivered to the senate or to the house
any sort of an g utimatum'' on sub
jects Of legislation and he has not held
over the heads Of congress the threat
of an extraordinary session " if he does
not obtain the legislation for which he
is hoping.
This statement is made by. authority.
It can also be stated that sugges-
tions Of compromise of any sort on
rate regulation which do not embody
the substance Of the president g mes
sage on the subject have not appealed
to the president. It can also be said
that he doubtless would refuse to ac-
cept compromise which would affect
any. essential feature Of the proposed
legislation. What is known as the Hep
burn bill, now under discussion by the
house. embodies substantially the presi-
dents views as set forth in his. last
annual message.
Leans to Hepburn Bill.
In the early days Of the present ses-
sion he thought the measure proposed
by the Interstate commerce commission
was the most practicable offered, but
after mature consideration it seemed
to him that the Hepburn bill was the
better. ~
Members of senate committee on in
interstate commerce have assure the
president that either the Hepburn bill
or measure resembling it in essential
ate. The report of the senate commit
tee will not be unanimous, but it will
represent the views of a majority of
the members. The report will be sup.
! ported, it is expected, by Senators
| Clapp, :Cullom Dolliver, and possibly
other republicans, and by the demo
cratic members Of the committee.
1t can be stated that while the presi-
dent desires that such rate legislation
snail be enacted az: he has recommend.
ed, ne is firm in his attitude that the
railways, as well as the shippers, shall
be dealt with justly. He is confident
that legislation on the lines of the Hep.
burn measure will prove fair alike to
the. railways and 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 substan.
tlal features of the bill. -, ~- ...
! Tariff and Statehood.
The president is interested in botl
|
statehood measure Concessions as Il
either one Of them have not, it is stat
ed, been given serious consideration
At the White House it is understood
that an effort is to be made in the sen
ate, first, to eliminate Arizona ant
New Mexico from consideration as 9
joint state, and if that should fail, sec
ondly, to incorporate in the Statehood
bill provision for the reference O.
the question Of joint statehood to the
voters Of the two territories. 1t is too
early to say with any degree Of accu
racy what the result: Of the latter prop
I osition may ~ 50 49, - 1 S
Senator Beveridge Of Indiana, chair
man Of the committee on territories
has assured the president that in hi
Judgment the measure as it stands ulti
mately will be enacted into law. Tha
would be as the president desires, but j
is not unlikely that he would sign tn
bill even if it were sent to him with tn,
referendum provision included. -.
Fight on Tariff Bill.
| A vigorous fight is being made OF
the Philippine bill. Just now it is no
a question Of there being merely a ma
jority and a minority report on til
measure, for the senate is divided int
several groups, each of which repre-
sents different view. Whether thes
divergent views can be resolved an
the measure, practically as it stands
enacted into law, remains to be de
termined. ~ =. 80: -
Secretary Taft, who is staunch ad
vocate Of the bill, has let it be under
stood that no compromise involving d
increase Of the tariff rates on: Philip
pine sugar and tobacco imports owe
the IS per cent rate proposed in tn
pending measure will be accepted, i
his views are to obtain. He spurns tn
suggestion that in order to secure vote
for the Hepburn rate regulation bi
the administration would be willing t
permit the Philippine sugar and tobacc
imports to come into the United State
at a rate Of SO per cent Of the Dingle
, tariff rates. -. .-.% - =, =
Secretary Taft would see the Philil
pine bill defeated. on a direct vot
: rather than be a party to any sue
: compromise.