Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-04
THE PRESIDENTS POSITION.

The authoritative statement regard
ing President Roosevelt's position as to
legislation for regulating railway rates
should put an end to conjecture on the
subject and fix conviction in the public
mind that the president is as firmly de-
voted now as when he wrote his last
message TO the purpose to secure such
legislation as he has recommended. The
statement has been made in press re-
ports from Washington that Mr.. Roose-
welt was bringing pressure to bear, par
ticularly upon senators, in behalf of the
legislation he desires; that he has been
trying TO dictate to congress and that
he had threatened, in case there should
be no rate legislation at the present SEES
sion, to call an extra session immedi-
ately after the adjournment,
These statements are contradicted by
the authorized report of the presidents
position given out through the Asso-
clated Press. This declares that there
has been no attempt on the part of the
executive to dictate TO congress and no
threat of an extra session should rate
legislation fail at this session. The
statement is that the president regards
favorably the measure before the house
of representatives, known as the Hep
burn bill. He has been urged by sena-
tors who are opposed to the legislation
provided for in that bill to modify his
attitude and has refused to do So He
stands by the views expressed in his
last annual message and has rejected
all proposals Of a compromise. To yield
to the appeals of those senators who are
against giving the interstate commission
the power to correct rates found to he
unreasonable would be a surrender by
the president and not a compromise.
The house will pass the Hepburn bill
by an overwhelming majority. Several
measures have been introduced in the
senate and referred to the committee on
interstate commerce. That committee
will next week decide which of these
measures shall be reported to the senate.
One of them is similar to the bill before
the house and it is very probable that
this one will be reported by the senate
committee. Perhaps it will be. changed
in some respects after reaching the sen
ate. but it is not probable that its es-
sential or vital features will be materi-
ally altered, if at all. At all events the
promise of rate legislation at this ses-
sion now appears most favorable. This
week the house will act and the nature
of its action is already assured. That
response to the public demand can
hardly fail to make an impression upon
the other branch of congress and es-
pecially upon those senators whose
terms will expire with the present con-
gress.
There is said to be disposition
among the opponents Of rate legislation
to embarrass the administration by an
tagonizlng other legislation which the
president has recommended. 1t is al
legged that they are prepared to go so
far as even to withhold needed appro-
priations. The Philippine bill and other
measures in which the president is
greatly interested are said to be threat
ened with defeat, by way of furnishing
the president for persistently demand
ing rate legislation. 1t is scarcely cred
ible that any such feeling should obtain
among men charged with the duty Of
conserving the public interests and well
fare but the bitterness of the friends
Of the railroads in congress toward the
president is unquestlonably very strong