Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-07
DEMOCRAT|CSENATOR
Becoming Wary of the Presi-
dents 0vertures.
SOME QUIET CONFERENCES
At Which the Question of Joining
Hands Has Been Discussed.
SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Than Partisan to Be Looked at--Why
Should They Help Make a
Roosevelt Victory.
SOME QUIET CONFERENCES
SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Senators Of both parties are watching
with considerable interest the efforts of
President Roosevelt to combine sufficient
number or democrats in the Senate with
the group Of restricted review republicans
to defeat the efforts for an amendment
to the rate bill which will provide far
reaching powers of judicial review Demo-
cratic senators are becoming wary of the
Presidents overtures. and today there were
some quiet conferences among the mem
bers of the minority at which the question
was gravely discussed whether the demo-
Gratis should Join hands with the President.
Many democratic senator's are demurring
They appreciate the Presidents argument
that the rate question Is not a partisan
question, and that democrats and republi-
cans should join hands in this great pa
triotic work. That is all right as far as
1t goes, these democrats say, but there are
some other considerations. In the first
place they point out to each other that the
President woud probably not have asked
the aid of the democrats if he were not in
hard lines with his own party.
An Elusive Claim.
These democrats say that the claim of
twenty-nine republicans In favor of the
administration amendment" is likely to
fall of substantiation when 1t comes to de-
livering the votes. They appreciate the
fact that the President Is anxious to put
through legislation framed after the admin
istration's own wishes, and that the ma
jorIty of the republicans In the Senate have
different Views of what Is advisable In the
premises. They know also that acute
issue has arisen between the President and
some OF the republican senators, and that
they are being called in as allies to the
President in his contest with members of
his own party.
Still further, they say, Is the considera-
ton that whatever their efforts might aid
in producing, the democratic party will get
no credit. but 1t will be Roosevelt vic
tory" all the way through, and the demo-
Gratis will only be able to sit by and watch
the President receive the congratulate
and plaudits of the country.
These considerations are leading some of
the democrats to think that perhaps this
is not altogether great patriotic question
above party lines, but that they should in
considering 1t take into account the practi-
cal political phases of the case
Another Side.
There IS still another side to It, Many OF
the democrats think that there should be
no requirement for suspension of the rate
pen ling appeal to the courts. The last
heard from President Roosevelt was that ne
concurred in the view of Senators Knox
and, Spooner that Congress could not limit
the judicial power of the courts by forbid-
ding suspension, in case the court should
deem the protection of property rights to re-
quire suspension.
The democratic senators were asking each
other today how they could join the Presi-
dent on that proposition
SO taking 1t by and large the democrats
are very much perplexed. They appreciate
| the advantage which might come to them
by the spectacle Of the President being COM
PEELED to appeal to the opposition party to
carry through the administration's legisla-
| ton. but they fear they will lose that ad-
vantage when the President claims and re-
/ ceives all the credit. as they think he will
| Then, some of the democrats are insisting
| that so long as 1t is claimed that this is not
| a party question. but one to appeal to the
| Judgment and conscience of every senator
| they should exercise their judgment and
| vote on the merits Of the amendments