The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-03

Won't Accept Any Compromise on
Railway Rate Bill or Philippine
Tariff Measure.
STATEMENT BY AUTHORITY
DENIES THAT HE IS TRYING TO
GEORGE CONGRESS.

Washington, Feb. president Roose-
Welt is not trying to dictate to congress
what it shall do or not do regarding rail-
road rate or any other problem of leg
islation. He has not delivered TO the
senate or to the house any sort of an
''ultimatum' on subjects Of legislation,
and has not held over the heads Of con-
gress the threat of an extraordinary ses-
SION if he does not obtain the legisla-
ton for which he is hoping. This state
ment is made by authority; also that
suggestions of a compromise of any sort
on rate regulation which do not embody
the substance of the presidents mes
sage on the subject have not appealed
to the president. 1t can also be said that
he doubtless would refuse to accept a
compromise which would affect any es-
senual feature Of the proposed legisla-
ton. What Is known as the Hepburn
bill, now under discussion by the house.
embodies substantially the president
views as set forth in his last annual mes
sage. In the early days Of the present
session he thought the measure proposed
by the interstate commerce commission
was the most practicable offered, but
after mature consideration it seemed to
him that the Hepburn bill was the bet
ter.
Senators Not Unanimous.
Members of the senate committee on
Interstate commerce have assured the
president that either the Hepburn bill or
a measure resembling ii in essential fea-
lures will be reported to the senate. The
report of the senate committee will not
be unanimous but 1T will represent the
views Of majority of the members. The
report will be supported it is said by
Senators Cullom, Deliver and Clapp and
possibly by other Republicans, and by
| the Democratic members of the commit
tee. 1t can be stated that while the pres
ident desires that such rate regulation
shall q
tude THAT the railroads as we'll as the
shippers shall be dealt with entirely just
ly. he wants nothing in the law that
would affect unfairly the rights or the
property of the railroads. He is conf
dent that legislation to be framed sub
stantially on the lines of the Hepburn
measure will prove fair alike to the rail-
roads and to the people. He is now try
ing to dictate matters of detail, and of
course will preserve an open mind as to
proposed amendments which do not affect
the material and substantial features of
the bill. Senators DOlliVer and Clapp had
another talk with the president today on
the rate regulation question, following a
meeting Of the senate committee at which
the subject was under consideration.
Attitude on Statehood.
The president is interested deeply in
both the Philippine tariff and the state
hood measure. Concessions as TO either
one of them have not, it is stated, been
S1ven serious consideration. At the White
House it is understood that an effort is
TO be made in the senate, first to elimi-
nate Arizona and New Mexico from con-
sideratiOn as q joint state and, if that
should fail secondly, to incorporate in
the statehood bill a provision RELOCATING
the question of joint statehood to the
voters of the two territories. 1t is early
yet to say with any degree of accuracy
what the result Of the latter proposition
may be. Senator Beveridge of Indiana
chairman of the committee on territories
has assured the president that in his
Judgment the measure as it stands uIti-
mately viii be enacted into law. That
would be as the president desires, but it
is not unlikely that he would sign the
bill even if it were sent to him with the
referendum provision included.
Fight on Philippine Bill.
A vigorous fight is being made on the
Philippine bill. Just now it is not ques-
ton Of there being merely a majority
senate particularly is divided into sew
eral groups on the measure, each one
of which represents a different view.
Whether these divergent views can be
resolved and the measure, practically as
IT stands, enacted into law or not, re-
mains yet to be determined. Secretary
Tart, who is a Staunch advocate of the
bill, has let it he understood that no
compromise involving an increase Of the
tariff rates on Philippine sugar and TO-
bacco imports over the % per cent rate
provided in the measure will be accepted,
If his views are 20 obtain. He spurns
the suggestion that, in order to secure
votes for the Hepburn rate regulation
bill, the administration would be willing
to permit the Philippine sugar and to-
bacco imports to come into the United
States at rate of so per cent of the
Dingiey tariff rates. Secretary Taft
would see the Philippine bill defeated
on a direct vote rather than be a party
to any such compromise.