Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-19
lat THE WHITE HOUSE
Conferences on Railroad Rate
Legislation.
IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS
Said to Be in Preparation by Senator
Knox.
THE ALEXANDRIA POST OFFICE
Chances Favor Mr.. Burroughs, the
Present Assistant-Some Of
the Callers Today.
THE ALEXANDRIA POST OFFICE

| preparation important amendments to the
pending legislation and Charles g. Mellen.
| president of the New York, New Haven
| and Hartford railroad. talked with the
| President at length. Mr. Melen was ac-
| companied by T. E. Byrnes, his conhdential
! assistant. While no definite decisions were
| reached at either of the conferences. they
! We're notable contributions to the discus
| sion of the rate question.
| Senator Knox drove to the White House
| alone and IN consultation with the
| President for some time. AS he left, he
declined to give definite details of his talk
! with the President, although 1t was ad-
| mitted that he was discussing phases of
| the railroad rate question.
Senator Knox would not admit even that
| he was preparing an amendment or amend
| ments to the pending rate legislation, but
| 1t is known that he does not approve or
| the Legislation proposed either In the Hep
| burn bill or in some other measures which
| have Deen offered and frankly has SO in
| formed the President. 1t is understood
! that he has in course of preparation an
amendment relating particularly to the pro-
vision relating to- an appeal to the courts
from the decision of the interstate COM
merce commission as to rates passed upon
by the body and perhaps a to other phases
of the proposed legislation.
Mr. Mellen and Mr.. Byrnes talked COM
paratively briefly to the President but
made arrangements for subsequent inter-
view at which the subject was to be con-
sidered In full. For four or five weeks Mr.
Mellen has been on a vacation trip to
southern California, and he came to WASH
ington to ascertain how the situation had
developed since he left for the west
MI. Mellen's Position.
To representative of The Star Mr.
Mellen said that his own position regard
ing railroad rate legislation was reasonably
we'll known.
There is only one man in this question
who is to be considered as an individual"
said Mr.. Mellen. and so far as the inter
ests L represent are concerned l am with
him. To my mind there can be no doubt
that the people of the country are back of
Mr.. Roosevelt In his demand that rate
legislation which really means something
should be enacted. My belief has been all
along that such legislation ought to be
put on the statute books. 1t would be the
better, not only for the people, but for the
railroads.
Personally, I am inclined to the opniou
that the pending Hepburn bill is not Just
what ought to be enacted into law In
principle, perhaps, 1t is very well, but |
am satlshed that an COX team could be
driVeh through 1t at several points.
One trouble with the solution of this
rate question all along has been that the
railroads. themselves have not been in
uSICClAltiit II NOulQ De TnanlfeStlY unfair
TO enact legislation that would afford TO
certain small and impecunious Iines-and |
use the term impecunious in no offensive
sense-what would amount to great ad-
vantage over the larger lines For in
stance, ii would not be just for a line
which might tap the Pennsylvania lines
just outside of Philadelphia to obtain all
the exchange rate advantages afforded by
the enormously valuable terminal facilities
of the Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and
yet that is just the advantage given such
a line by the Hepburn bill. Now, l am
satisfied that to confer such an advantage
was not the idea of the trainers of the bill
and it ought not to be the idea of the
trainers of the legislation which finally Is
to be crystallized into law. The enforce
ment Of such provision would be unjust
to those who by their energy ability and
capital, had acquired great and valuable
terminal facilities for their lines A law
which will meet the demands and the rights
of the people, and at the same time be
entirely just and equitable to the carriers,
can be framed and l am satisfied that it
will be so drawn The law may be drastic
so far tie railroads are concerned, but
If framed with regard to these sugges-
tons 1t would be fair to all Such a meas
ure would meet all the requirements of the
situation, and to it the railroads and the
people properly could adjust themselves.
Cannot Visit Memphis.
w. S. Stone grand chief engineer of the
International Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers. called on President Roosevelt to-
day with Thomas II. Hiner. third assistant
grand chief, and a large delegation of
prominent citizens of Memphis to invite
the President to visit Memphis on the oc-
casion of the biennial convention of the en-
gineers. The date for the convention is in
May. The President was compelled to de-
cline the invitation. although regrettng
that he had to do So The Memphis people
who came here and called were Mayor Ma
lone A. S. Caldwell w. S. King, j. J. Shoe
maker w. A. Bickford, II. p. Johnson and
n. S. Graves.
The President as has been repeatedly
stated. is consistently declining all invita-
tons in all directions, and is determined
that he VIII make no more trips through
the country unless it is for the purpose OF
calling public attention to some important
public matter he thinks should have 'Sle
consideration of the people.
Representative Wiley of New Jersey pre-
sented Alfred b. Cosey. q colored lawyer
of Newark and president of the State Re
publican Association.
Senator Flint of California presented soma
constituents from that state.
The Alexandria Post Office.
Representative Slemp, patronage dis
per.ser in Virginia, called on the President
today. Mr. Slemp said he had not pre-
scented to the President recommendation
for the Alexandria post office, but would
efficient official, does not want another
term. His assistant, Mr.. Burroughs whose
record is first class, does want the place.
While another candidate is J. A. Egborn
The chances are said to favor Mr. Bur
roughs, who may get the Endorsement of
Representative Siemp. The President IS
said to have had under consideration the
name of Lawrence Washington, a descend
ent of George Washington. but Representa-
tive Slemp is not for Mr.. Washington.
Delegate Mcclure OF Oklahoma was at
the White House this morning and pre-
serted John NJ. Hale of Chandler, okla
Mr.. Mcguire desires to have Mr. Hale
appointed national bank examiner for Okla
hcma. He has been to the Treasury De-
partment with Mr. Hale and thinks his
candidate has a fair chance of landing the
position. There is q vacancy in the exam
inership. due to the appointment of c. III.
fflson as territorial secretary.
Invited to the Opera.
Arthur Won Briesen, president OF the Legal
Aid Society OF New York, visited Presi-
dent Roosevelt this morning and presented
him with the tickets for the operate per-
formance at the Metropolitan Opera House
on March Is for the benefit of the charity