Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1907-03-25
RAILROAD OFFICIAL HAS 35 MIN
UTE TALK WITH PRESIDENT.
INTERVIEW is RtFUStD
Finance and Transportation Is Popu-
lar Theme at White House-Cnlef
Executive Will Not Be Quoted en-
til He is Sure of His Ground
Scheduled for Four Speeches.

Washington March 2l.-An inter-
view between President Roosevelt and
Charles S. Mellen, president OF The
New York, New Haven and Hartford
railroad, for the purpose of discussing
the railroad situation, took place at
the white house Tuesday and lasted
about 35 minutes. No statement OF
the particular questions discussed was
made at the white house and Mr..
Mellen declined to talk. To all ques-
tons bearing on the conference he re
ferred inquirers to Secretary Loci
adding that anything he might say
might be construed as having a bear
ing on the present situation.
Follow ng the departure OF Mr.. Mel
len, Interstate Commissioner Lane
came to the white house and had a
talk with the president about railroad
matters Attorney General Bonaparte
also conferred with the president.
During the past three weeks the
president has had visits from half a
dozen we'll known financiers and rail-
road men, with all of whom he has
discussed various phases of the rail-
road situation. All have made spe-
cif1c recommendations Incorporating
their ideas on the question whether
the president should recommend addi-
tional railway legislation and most OF
them have urged him TO make a state
ment defining his attitude in explicit
terms, with a view to alIaying airy
public apprehension On the subject
that may exist Generally there has
been but little approach to unaninity
in these recommendations. He has
referred his callers who want inform a.
ton as to his attitude to his public
declarations on this general subject
and has told them that he means to
be consistent with what he has al
ready said. The president says frank
ly that he is learning all he can re
garding the railroad situation and
that he intends to continue to consult
with railroad people and others on
the subject. It is understood that he
is making inquiries on some points
pertaining to federal supervision and
control OF the railroads, to the question
of an appraisement of the physical
valuation of such properties and to
the matter of the issue of various
forms of Indebtedness. AS to the last
named he regards it as perfectly
proper and he sees no objection to q
proper issue Of obligations for equip
ment, terminals and betterments but
thinks there should be a careful Sou
tiny to see that stocks or bonds are
issued fer such purposes.
President Undetermined.
The president has not reached
final determination as to whether he
will make any recommendations to
congress for legislation on any of
these matters. His position is that
he is simply pursuing diligently
study of these questions and obtaining
all the information available before
acting.
The president has made it plain to
his callers that he cannot be expect
ed to outline his policy in informal
talks with them and that inferences
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 the particular qles-
lions and specifically on railroad is
sues, he will do so in a speech Or in
a message to congress. Some ex-
pressions from him are expected ON
the railroad question durir the next
few months. The president is sche /
uled to make four speeches between
now and the middle of June and it is
expected that he will have something
to say on the railroad question in one
Of these speeches.