Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-20
.INTERVIEW At
WHITE HOUSE
QUICKLY OVER
.Mellen Remains Only
a Short Time
Railway Affairs In General Are Dis
oussed, but the Result Of the
Visit Is Not Made
Public
Rv Assoointed Press.

e. BY Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, March 19.-The in
'ttervlew between President Roosevelt
and Charles s. Mellen. president of the
New York. New Haven and Hartford
RAILROAD, recently arranged for the
purpose of discussing the railroad sit
Fuation, took place at the White House
today.
It lasted not more than 35 minutes.
sNo statement Of the questions dis
gcussed was made at the White House,
and Mr.. Mellen declined to talk.
Mr.. Mellen said he did not expect to
again visit the White House for a
&conference with the president unless
he was sent for.
q Mr.. Mellen's visit was the outcome
Nof a call made at the White House
last week by ]. Pierpont Morgan, the
New York fnancier who came to
,Washington at the request of many
business men to discuss the present
business situation, particularly as af-
afecting the railroads.
President Awaits Others
r. Inc VlSlI OIL MI hellSH lOA'O"NN 'i'S
conference he had several days ago
with Presidents McCrea, Newman and
Hughitt of the Pennsylvania, New
4 York Central and Chicago and North
swestern railroads respectively
These four were the names suggested
b by Mr.. Morgan to the president. 1t is
mot known at the White House whether
Messrs. McCrea, Newman and Hughitt
swill visit Mr.. Roosevelt. The president
will see them If they come
During the past three weeks Presl-
edent Roosevelt has had visits from
Ehalf a dozen well known financiers and
frailroad men, with all of whom he has
4discused various phases of the rail-
road situation.
These include j. Pierpont Morgan,
James Speyer of New York, President
sStickney of the Chicago Great West
ern railroad, B. F. Yoakum of the ROCK
island, Z. H. Hartman of the Union
ksPacific and Mr.. Mellen of the New
York New Haven and Hartford.
81 All of these gentlemen have made
Specific recommendations incorporating
stheir ideas on the question whether the
president should recommend additional
y railway legislation.
A. Still Seeking information
The president says frankly that he is
zlearning all he can regarding the rail-
%road situation and that he intends to
continue to consult with railroad peo-
asple and others on the subject.
"a 1t is understood he is making IN
quiries on some points pertaining 10
sfederal supervision and control of the
railroads; to the question of an ap-
9praisement of the physical valuation
3of such properties and to the matter of
sthe issues of various forms of indebt-
sedness.
& AS to the last named he regards it as
perfectly proper, and he sees no objec-
ton to a proper issue of obligations for
9equipment, terminals and betterments,
but thinks there should be a careful
scrutiny to see that stocks or bonds are
issued for such purposes.
The president has not reached any
final determination as to wether he will
make any recommendations to congress
for legislation on any of these matters
y Cannot Outline Policy
The president has made it plain to
1his callers that he cannot be expected
to outline his policy in informal talks
with them and that differences as to his
attitude must not be drawn from what
he says in these casual talks.
When he has made up his mind and
is ready to tell the public just what his
attitude is on particular questions and
specifically on the railroad issue he
will do so in a speech or in a message
to congress.
q Some expressions from him are eX-
pected on the railroad question during
the next few months. The president is
scheduled to make four speeches be-
tween now and the middle of June, and
1t is expected that he will have some
thing to say on the railroad question in
one of these speeches.
President Mellen left for New Eng
I land at $3.50 o'clock this evening.