Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-04
At The WHITE HOUSE
Hepburn Confident of His Rate
Bill.
PRESERVATION OF NIAGARA
Delegations Present Remonstrances
Against Diversion Of Water.
AID FOR ALASKAN RAILWAYS
Talk With chairmen Of Territories
Committees on the Subject
by the President
PRESERVATION OF NIAGARA
AID FOR ALASKAN RAILWAYS


| rate legislation for few more weeks it will
come to the conclusion that his measure
contains every fair provis. for rate re-
| view and will pass It. He sees nothing to
be gained by the amendment agreed upon
at the White House a few days ago pro-
| viding limited rate review, and thinks
there is question to the constitution
| ality of the bill sent over by the House to
/ the Senate.
| Representative Hepburn conferred with
| the President on some other legislative
| matters today not touching upon the rail-
| road rate question at ALL but when h was
| asked about the situation he unhes ttting-
| ly declared his belief that the Hepburn bill
| would eventually be passed by the Senate
| as the best solution of the whole thing and
| as most promising in its constitutionality
| Col Hepburn doesn't like to talk about
| Il OF voice any suspicious, but he IS by
| no means satisfied that some Of the amend
| n7ents being offered are put up in sincerity
| their chief aim being to render the bill I'M
| constitutional
Preservation of Niagara.
The American Civic Association and the
| Merchants Association OF New York
| through j. Horace Mcfarland, president.
! and William B. Rowland. treasurer. re-
| speetively. OF the former. and Frederick L.
| DeBerard of the latter today submitted to
| the President carefully prepared remon-
| STRANGE against the recommendation of the
| International waterways commission THAI
| legislation be enacted authorizing the final
diversion, In conjunction with harmo-
NOUS action of the Canadian government,
| of 60. 900 cubic feet of water per second. It
| IS asserted that this is but $500 cubic feet
less than the total amount at present au-
| tEorized. 1t is maintained that the diver
| sion of the amount of water recommended
| by the waterways commission would have
| disastrous effect on the falls. At low
water the amount would divert from the
American falls As per cent OF the total
| flow. and inevitably diminish its grandeur
I 1t Is submitted that the United States mas
as full and complete right to Niagara I'M
/ damaged 1t has to Yellowstone Park and
| the Yosemite unexpected for commercial
| gain.
| The petition concludes with this state
/ ment: In view of the undoubted power of
| the United States over the Niagara river as
/ a navigable stream and an International
boundary, fully set forth In the opinions
| of Attorney General Moody and ex-Attor-
| ney General Griggs we respectfully urge
| that the Secretary of War be directed to in
| terrupt, at substantially the present point,
| all developments involving additional d.
version. and that the Secretary of State be
| advised to bring to the attention of the gov
| eminent of Great Britain this action with
| a request for similar action on its part pend
1 Ing final international adjustment of the
| whole question.
Despite the fact that the President sent
| to Congress a special message about q week
/ ago recommending the carrying out of the
| conclusion OF the international waterways
| commission, he told his visitors today that
| he regarded their view of the matter as i'm
portant. and would refer 1t to Secretary
| Taft and Mr.. Clement OF the commission
| Aid for Alaskan Railways.
| The President conferred with Senator
Burnham and Representative Hamilton
| OF the Senate and House committees on
| territories and Senator Pyles of Wash
| ihgton about the various bills pending In
Congress providing for government aid
| to three projected railways in Alaska
| The President has urged whatever assist
| arce could be fairly and honestly given to
| railroads so as to develop the great ter
| ritory in the far northwest but the cues
| ton in Congress is how far this aid
| Should extend. 1t was decided today that
| the government would make no guaran-
tee of interest on bonds as has been de-
| sired and was done in the case of rail-
| read construction in the Philippines This
Is the most important part OF the pending
| bills Charters are asked on the part of
| the Alaska Railroad Company which
wants to build railroad from the Cor
| doya bay in the Copper river valley, to
| Eagle; the Solomon River and Council
! City railroad, In the northwestern part of
| the territory, and the Alaska Central rail-
!
| to Fairbanks.
Mayor Dunno of Chicago Is expected in
Washington in the next day or SO to extend
/ the President an invitation to attend the
coming meeting in Chicago OF the mayors
or the principal municipalities of the coun-
| try. AS the President has not accepted an
| invitation of any sort in many months, it
| Is not thought he will do so In this case
| Greeting Visitors
| The President received a large number
| or visitors today, presented by senators
| and representatives. Among them were
| Lieut.. Edward sharrer and wife. formerly
| Miss Wilhelmina Busch OF St. Louis. Lieut..
| Sharrer is an officer of the German army
| reserve. He and Miss Busch were married
under romantic circumstances In Pasadena
| Cal. Adolphus Busch the father of the
| bride, being present. The President ex-
| tended the young couple most cordial
greeting, saying that Mrs. Sharrer's father
was one OF his best friends
No selection has yet been made at the
| White House of second assistant secre-
| tary to the President, to ali the vacancy
made by the nomination OF Mr. Barnes to
| be postmaster OF this city. Rudolph For
ster. who was second assistant secretarv
| has already been promoted to first assistant
| although there Is no increase in salary The
position will go TO either M. e. I.atta or
John l.. McGrew.
President Plays Tennis.
President Roosevelt resumed tennis play
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