The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-25
T'|LLMAN AND
TEDDY TO LEAD
RATELEGIsLAT|0N
Amazing Amicable Con-
verse of These Men
Freezes Fancy.
LOOKS LIKE S O'CLOCK
TEA FOR STRENUOUS
South Carolina Senator May Ac-
cept MIR. Roosevelt's Invitation
to Discuss Problem.
"TILLMAN is ..oNEsT
! AND is A FIGHTER"
President Roosevelt Respects the
Carolinian. and States That
He is Well Pleased That
His Pet Measure
is in Honest
Hands.
South Carolina Senator May Ac-
cept MIR. Roosevelt's Invitation
to Discuss Problem.
"TILLMAN is ,.0NEST
AND is A FIGHTER"

(Erom Our Regular Corresponds
WASHINGTON, ~. c.. February "a
The spectacle OF Senator benjamin Ben-
jamin K. Tilman, of South Carolina. this
most radical Democrat In the United
Gates. leading the fight on the floor
Of the Senate for a measure upon whict
the heart of President Roosevelt Is n,orN
fondiy set than on any other which has
been suggested during his administrh
ton. one which is dearer 10 him prob
ably, than any which will come up in
the remaining three years OF his admin
istration. will be resented to the people
OF the country next week.
Tlllnau. a man who has said nors
harsh things about Theodore Roosevelt
than has any public man Of the day;
iilman. the fire-brand, us his enemies
have delighted to call him; Tilltnan, tia
"pitchfork' Tillman. the radical; Till
man, whose opinions. which he never
makes the slightest cfrort to conceal, have
called forth the most bitter dcnunciatlon
of the party III power, of. which President
Roosevelt is supposed to l,s the most IL
lustrious living leader, fs TO stand IN the
forefront OF the struggle for the bill
| which President Roosevelt says must he
come 4 law.
i Mr.. T'iilman has not been in the While
House since President Roosevelt took tste
\
ator does not like Mr.. Roosevelt, and
| does not like his manner of doing BUSH
| ness
He has refused an invitation TO go 10
the White House in times past and oc-
casioned much comment thereby.
StagFers the Imagination.
While it is possible that the Presi-
dent may ask Mr.. rillman, as the leader
of the forces which are supporting tho
rate bill. to come to the White House
and discuss the situation, II is hardly
probable that Senator Tillnan will con-
| sent to talk over matters with Mr..
| Roosevelt. for whom his dislike is very
pronounced. and of whom he said such
| severe things n year or two ago that
the President withdrew an Invitation 10
dinner which he had sent the Senator
] from South Carlina. Mr.. Tillman re-
| gardcd the withdrawal OF the Invita-
ton personal insult. The President has
not apologized However, Mr. TillnNn
might regard an invitation to come TO
the White House and discuss the rate
tbill as public business. though he does
not approve the executive Interference
with legislation.
The spectacle of President Roosevelt
1 sitting in amicable converse with Ben
i Tillman for an hour or two staggers tho
Imagination, and freezes tho fancy
Little less remarkable will be the app
| pearance OF such a stalwart Democrat
i leading an administration fight on tho
| floor of the Senate, 1t will be sight
not witnessed In the Senate since 1891.
And never In the political history of
/ this country has an administration fight
been led by representative at the MIN
i GRITTY party and had To depend upon
/ that minority, and a small portion of the
majority for the success Of an admits
tration measure. This is the spectacle
to which the country is about to ba
treated. u
A Remarkable Situation.
"The action of the Senate committee
a on interstate commerce in directing that
\ Senator Tillman report the rate bill witt
z out amendment and lead the fight for
4 It on the floor of the Senate was the
most remarkable political event IN this
q country in a quarter of a century. Y said
a Republican, official to-day. a man
recognized universally as being very
close to the President. ut marks an
epoch 1t may be a turning-point In the
history of the political parties of the
iaIJnted States. 1t u.s. to NO. most signt-
ficant that Mr.. Tillman should have
been chosen, Opponents to the egulstioaa
a OF railway rates by the government have
/, been telling us that 1t was socialistic
and IA step In the direction of govern
mental ownership. Tillman is absolutely
without the faint OF socialism,, and is