The Ordway new era., 1906-05-18
RAILROAD BILL
cHANpLER's CONFERENCE WITH
THE PRESIDENT.
IS GIVEN OUT BY 1ILLmAN
Roosevelt Dlsasrees With Leadiaa Re-
publican senators-seeks Sup
port From Democrats.

Washington-Senator Tillman, who
on Saturday made a statement in the
Senate covering the details Of his and
Senator Bailey's negotiations through
ex-senator Chandler with President
Roosevelt regarding the rate bill. to-
night made public portion OF the
written statement made to him by Mr..
Chandler Of his various conferences
with the President on this subject.
The following is the portion OF Mr..
Chandler's statement given out by Mr..
Tillman.
"On Saturday afternoon, March 81,
1906, friend of mine came into my
office and told me OF the White House
conference Of that day in which an un-
derstanding as to limited court re-
view had been reached with Senator
Long and others, and he told me that
the President wished to get into com
munication with the Democrats and
would shortly ask me to come and see
him. While he was talking a messen-
ger boy arrived with a letter to me
from Mr.. Loeb. as follows:
The White House, Washington.
March 81, 1906.
"'My Dear Senator Chandler-The
President requests me to say that he
would be glad to have you come to the
White House to see him at $3.50 to-
night. VIII you please let the bearer
know whether you can come7 Very
truly yours.
WILLIAM LOEB. JR.,
Secretary to the President.
"'Hon. William E. Chandler. 1421 !
street.
81 told the messenger would be
there.
"At the time and place appointed
the President said to me that he
wished through me to get into COM
munication with Mr.. Tillman, Mr..
Bailey and other Democratic senators.
He stated his purpose slowly and care
fully. and In exact substance his state
ment was this: That he had reached
the conclusion that the best plan for
railroad rate legislation was to e1-
pressly grant court review. but to
distinctly limit 1t to two points: first.
an inquiry whether the Interstate Com
merce Commission had exceeded Its
authority, and, second. an inquiry
whether the constitutional rights Of
the carrier had been violated.
He said that he had been much
troubled by the advocacy Of an unlim-
tied court review by some of the law
yers of the Senate-naming Senators
Knox, Spooner and Foraker-as try
ing to injure or defeat the bill by in
Eenious constitutional arguments, but
that he had come to . complete disa-
greement with them. He made this
point emphatic by repetition; said that
he would go thus far and NO farther
and that his decision would be unaltef-
able. He declared that he wished to
ascertain whether there could bo
united action in the Senate among the
friends Of the bill % that It could be
surely passed without injurious
amendments. and he named. various.
Republican senators who he thought
were true friends OF the bill. but said
that II would take nearly all the Dem
ocrats to carry the Limitation and de-
feat all obnoxious provisions.
After the President had made his
statement. ! replied that had reason
to believe that most of the Democrats
in the Senate would sustain his 1imi-
tation Of the courts power. but that I
was sure that Mr.. Bailey and Mr.. TIL
man would insist upon coupling with
the limitation some restriction upon
the power Of the courts to issue injunc-
tions against the orders Of the com
mission. Before had finished my
statement on this point the President
interrupted me. saying that need not
explain further, because he was
warmly IN favor Of some such restr3c-
tions.
"That evening saw Mr.. TillmAA 81
told him what had occurred
-fIf,tA