Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-05-15
7|LLnAH's CHARGES ANSWERED
Conferences With Chandler Could
Not Possibly Be Misconstrued He
says-Attorney General Moody En-,
dorses the statement Made by the
President.

tBy Associated Press.l

sationnl rate bill incident in the
Senate Saturday during which Mr.
'rillman, on the authority of former
Senator Chandler made statements
regarding the Presidents course in
connection with pending railroad rate
legislation, one of which statements
was denied by Mr. Lodge on behalf
Of the President, had its sequel this
evening when an official statement
was issued by the Willie House Civ
ing an account OF the subject on the
part of the President and Attorney
General Moody.
The statement comprised two let.
tiers one from the President to Sen.
ator Allison, and the other from the
Attorney General Moody to, the Pres.
ident both dated today.
No Chance for Misconception.
The President says Sin no cnse.
either in the case of Mr.. Chandler or
any one else was there the slightest
opportunity for any honest mscon.
ception of my attitude or any belief
that pledged myself specifically to
one and only one amendment or set
of achievements and that | should
not be satisfied with any amendment
which preserved the essential fea.
lures Of the Hepburn bill as it came
from the House."
The President says that as to many
OF the amendments including the So
called Long. Overman, Bacon and
Spooner amendments, he had said
he should be entirely satisfied to
have them i'm the bill and suggested
notifications as to other amend
ments but that "as to none (of the
amendmcniS) did ever say either to
Mr. Chandler or to any one else tina,
should insist npnon having them In
the bill as a condition OF my APPROX.
al" and that on the contrary he (the
President) was careful to state that
he was not trying to dictate any par.
ticnlar program of action.
Chandler a Go Between.
The President says the statements
made to Senator Chandler we're the
same in substance as those made to
Mr.. Allison and other senators Of
both parties. He said he was asked
to see Senator Chandler MS the repre-.
sentative Of Mr.. Tillman In charge of
the bill and that the conferences Att
torney General Moody had with Sen
ators ,Tillman and Bailey were such
as had been held with many other
senator's TO determine the phrascolo.
gy and discuss the affect OF amend.
ments proposed by them.
The President states that he be-
came convinced that it was impossi
= BILE for senator's with advantage" to
nse him as an intermediary and sIg.
gested to all whom he spoke thas
they communicate with Senator ALI.
son whose purposes and the Pres
dents were Identical"
Original Bill Still Retained.
The President says that his own
opinion that the Allison amendment
in no way changed the court review
as provided in the original Hepburn
Dill is also the opinion OF ATTORNEY
General MOODY ana Secretaries Root
and Tafe.
The Attorey Generals letter gives
an account at the Presidents direc.
tion with Senators Tilman and Bail.
ey regarding the court feature. he
says he advised the President that he
should not at any stage become fin.
ally committed beyond recall to any
form of language in any part OF the
bill and the President affirmed the
wisdom Of that course.
He reviews the discussion of inter