Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-29
At THE WHITE HOUSE
President Undecided Whether
to Make a Speech or Not.
WESTERN STRIKE AFFAIR
Commissioners Knapp and Neill Call
Before Departure.
THE CABINET MEETING
Lasted Less Than an Hour, With
Three Absentees-Rife Practice
Increasing in Interest.
THE CABINET MEETING

The President had reached no decision
today whether he would go to Springfield
ILL.,, to make a speech that will reassure the
railroad people. Senator Cullom of Illinois
visited the President and found the chief
executive unsettled to what he will do.
At the cabinet meeting later in the day the
subject was not mentioned, but the Pres-
dent Is understood to have talked about 1t
to one or two cabinet officers before they
departed. The impression he gave these
advisers was that he does not intend to go
to Springfield at this time, and probably
not at all. Neither is it likely that he will
talk on railroads and finances in any of his
coming speeches, unless developments in
the business world make it necessary. The
advice the President is receiving from two
of his closest cabinet men-SecretarIes Root
and Cortelyou-is that the present depres-
sion Will blow over in a short time under
the things that have been done 80 far. and
that the President will not have to put
himself in the position of doing something
that will either hurt himself or the rail-
roads, the inevitable consequence of a
statement or speech under existing condi-
tions, 1t is declared by many.
The President will be delighted to see
financial and railroad matters settle down
to an easy gait and remain that way He
will then be spared the necessity of reveal
Ing his hand as to recommendations for fur
Their railroad legislation until the next Con-
gress meets.
The Western Strike Situation.
Secretary Loeb said this morning that the
President was not receiving any messages
on the western strike situation and was not
taking any hand in 1t. Charles P. Neill,
commissioner Of labor, who left the city at
noon today with Commissioner Knapp of
the interstate commerce commission to see
what can be done in arbtrating the differ
haty ty,A two, on1 hatr
ployes. called on the President before leav
ing. 1t is not expected that a strike will
be determined until Messrs. Neil and
Knapp have had opportunity Of consulting
both sides.
The Cabinet Meeting.
The cabinet meeting lasted less than an
hour today. The President had an appoint
ment with his dentist at noon and drove
there from the executive offices. This is the
third appointment he has kept with his
dentist this week.
Having his teeth sharpened to eat an
other railroad man." said man who saw
the President go away from the White
House.
Three cabinet members were absent from
the meeting today. They were Secretaries
Taft and Metcalf and Attorney General
Bonaparte. The latter is devout Catholic
and he declared that he would not attend
to business on Good Friday.
Rain Crow CaWS.
All White House attaches are willing to
bet all their savings that there will be rain
before Sunday morning. They base their
faith upon the cawng of a White House
crow-an old-tme habitue of the trees of
the White House grounds.
whenever he makes that noise you can
depend upon rain inside of thirty-siX
hours" declared gray haired cop who had
kept track of the movements and noises
of the crow for many years. Il have never
seen 1t fail, and l am pretty certain that
there will be wet and disagreeable Easter
Sunday in Washington. That rain crow Is
a better weather indicator than all the eX-
perts in the weather bureau
Rifle Practice Increasing.
James A. Drain. former adjutant general
of Washington and now president of the
National Rifle Association of America, Wis
tied the White House today, having re-
turned from the National Guard convention
at Columbia, s. c. Mr.. Drain said that in
creased activity and interest had followed
the election of President Roosevelt, Secre-
tary Taft and Secretary Root as members
of the association and their outspoken en-
couragement of rifle practice Il believe
the time is coming when nearly every
young American will be an expert shot
with the army rife of his country as well
as with other weapons, said Mr.. Drain.
II look forward to a mighty successful ma
National Guard rifle range. this summer.
The various matches are exceedingly at
tractive and the prizes worth competing
for. At least 1000 of the crack shots OF the
country will be present, besides many
others with aspirations.
Canadian Postal officials Call.
Postmaster General Mayer today intro
duced to the President the Canadian postal
officials now in conference with the Post
n Inc
fecting second-cass mail matter. They in
cluded Rodolphe Lemieux. the postmaster
general; Deputy Postmaster General r. NJ
Coulter and William Smith of the Canadian
department of posts.
He's all right. He's about as good a
democrat as there is" said James Watson
Gerard, chairman of the Tammany Hall
democratic campaign committee, as he came
from the White House offices today after
a brief call on the President. Mr.. Gerard's
visit was personal one.
President Roosevelt and Secretary Root
have decided to increase the number Of
delegates from this country to the second
Hague peace conference. The additional
delegates have been selected, but their
names have not been announced. The del
egates, however, have all been advised of
their selection and will have opportunity
of arranging their business. The delegates
first annouced were Horace Porter, former
ambassador to France: Joseph H. Choate,
former ambassador to England, and Judge
U. NJ. Rose of Little Rock, Ark.
Gov. Davidson Here.
Gov. Davidson of Wisconsin and the
members af the railroad commission Of
that state are in the city and are scheduled
for a long conference with President
Roosevelt this afternoon on the railroad
situation. 1t is presumed that the Wis
consin governor and his board were sum-
moned to Washington by the President to
<rixr all inf Ton he hqV
the railroad situation there The state OF
Wisconsin is said to have more thorough
control over the railroads than any otner
state in the country and has passed more
legislation that is supposed to be hostile
TO them The President Is said to desire
TO know all about the operation of the
Wisconsin laws, which were largely passed
under Senator La Toilette during his term
as governor.