Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-03-24

before. ne settles certain details re.
garding his program.
In taking advice 1t Is the intention
OF the President to invite various
railroad men into consultation. He
Will also send for other prominent
persons. His aim will be to get per.
feet bill, which will give the Ameri.
can railway securities standing as
safe investments. The President has
not asked Governor Hughes to come
and see him, and will not do so for
the present, because such an invita-.
ton, extended while the Utilities bill
Is pending at Albany, might be mis-.
construed, but the President. is going
to take advice, and he Is going to
talk to the public for the purpose of
making clear his ideas and of driving
In the points of his messages and
! speeches. He Is certain that If the
men who are accusing him of upset
ting values were to read these
messages and speeches and recall the
offers he has made and the distinction
he has drawn between corporations
properly conducted and those improp-
erly conducted they would change
their attitude
Within the next two months M.
Roosevelt will have several opportu-
mites of making known any new ideas
which he may have on this subject.
He will make several visits to the
jamestown Exposition and he will
visit indianapolis OH Memorial Day,
when the statue of General Lawton
is to be dedicated and he will also
make speech at Lansing, Mich.
IL the President has any draft of a
plan for railroad reform he has not
|tdisclosed 1t to his callers, with whom
he has discussed this question.
The magnitude of the problem has
been growing on him.. He knows that
the drop in Wall street is traceable In
measure to the Hartman operations
which his Interstate Commerce Com.
mission exposed, and that he must
now have something to propose which
will make the transportation securi.
ties gilt.edged. He is too good a poli.
ttcian not to know that any admins.
tration that goes before the country
with the beginning of hard times on
It's hands is likely to be defeated, and
he has but year to place his plan be.
fore the country and Congress have it
adopted and put in operation. This is
very short time, with many railroad
interests hostile.
That there Is danger in government
ownership gaining Roadway and run
ming with all the ferocity of a free
silver craze and being great factor
In the next election in case the Roose.
welt plan fails Is undoubtedly giving
the White House concern. The admin.
istration does not agree with Mr.. e.
+. Ripley, of the Santa Fe, that this
prospect is nearby because of the
brush fire started by Mr. Roosevelt.
1t lays It at the doorstep of the rail.
road officials themselves. But 1t is
not inclined to belittle the fact that
real regulation of railroad securities
must come and real remedies for car
shortages must be applied, or there
VIII be a close elecvtion next time.
Scarcely railroad man has been
In Washington for several weeks who
has not pointed out the danger OF
having to meet the ownership idea.
!, 1t is making Roadway in many parts
OF the country, and public men of all
parties are convinced that 1t must be
met and fought with great vigor, or it
VIII supplant the municipal ownership
issue and bring to the front the most
gigantic problem of national socialism
which any government has ever en-.
countered.