Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-02
ROOSEVELTS POSITION CLEAR
Nothing to Add to or Take Away from
Stand Taken by Him.
WRITES TO ILLINOIS MANUFACTURERS
Decides Not 60 Come West to Address
Convention, as He Has no New
Message to Convey to
the People.

ILL.,, on the railroad situation. He addressed
a letter yesterday to e. H. Smith, presi-
dent OF the association, stating that Il
would be impossible for him to accept
their invitation. extended last week. be-
cause he did not feel that he had any
thing to say at this time in a special ad-
dress on this special subject.
The president has received a great num-
Der Of requests for a statement by him.
or speech to be made by him in connec-
ton with the railway situation. He has
given these requests the utmost weight
and most careful considerati ton. After fully
looking into the matter the president in
formed his advisers that he had come to
the conclusion that there was nothing now
which he had to say at this moment on
the railway situation; that he did not
deem 1t either wise or proper to say any
thing with a view to any immediate situa-
tion in Wall street, and that as he should
only give expression to the definite and
! settled policy to be carried out wholly
without regard to the exigencies OF the mo-
ment and as his views on the policy in
question were already a matter OF record.
II did not seem necessary at this time to
repeat them.
No Explanation Needed.
To the different men, friendly and un-
| friendly, who have visited him or written
to him he has answered verbally or in
writing that his words and acts have spoken
for themselves and needed no explanations
whatever and that he should not in his flu
ture course deviate one hairs breadth from
the course he has pursued in the past and
was now pursuing.
The staement was made from an authori-
| tative source today that "even a most cur
/ inc of nh - ,raoidanf has
repeatedly said in speech and in message
/ will show the utter nonsense OF supposing
| the government has the slightest intention
/ to take any action which would invalidate
| the safety and stability of the railroad Sc
curities now Issued, the whole legislative
program OF the president having been pro-
| claimed again and again one to insure
the future against the mistakes and delin-
qusncies of the past. The president holds
that every executive action taken under
his administration, whether by the Depart
ment of Justice or by the Interstate Com
meroe commission, has furnished its own
ample justification.
| 1t was pointed out today in administrative
circles that the president has made no ref
! erences in his speeches or messages to the
question of the physical valuation of rail-
I roads. This position, it was said, is that
/ the roads themselves viii work out this
problem as an item of bookkeeping and
reference was made to the fact that two
roads-the Northern Pacific and the Great
Northern-already have submitted figures
as to their physical valuation.
Question of OvercapitaIiHatiOn,
1t can be stated on authority that the
president again will ask congress at its
next session for power to deal with the
question Of overcapitalization Of railroads
A similar request was made at the last
session. but favorable action was not taken
| upon It,
In his letter to Mr.. Smith the president
enclosed copies Of the speech he made at
! Raleigh, N c., October 1s, 1905. and the one
he delivered before a delegation Of railway
employees in this city on November IA, 1905,
! together with his last message to con-
! gress at the beginning of the first and
second sessions OF the last congress. The
president concludes his letter to Mr.. Smith
as follows:
| You will see in the two speeches and the
| two MESA ges that I have said about all
/ that / would say II / spoke now. AS | said
| TO your body the other day, 1 have already
| thought out beliefs. am more firmly than
ever convinced that these beliefs are wise
and that the policy l recommended in my
message at the opening of each of the last
I regular sessions OF congress must be car
rted out Just at the moment 1 do not see
that have much to add to what / already
have said and 1 think what has occurred
since. wrote the two messages in question
merely illustrates in striking fashion the
deslrability OF the course / therein out
lined
Portions of Speeches.
Portions Of speeches and messages
marked by the president follow:
From his Raleigh speech:
do not believe in government ownership
. - kIvsur hanh ~FeL
left in private hands, and IN particular I
should most strenuously object to govern
ment ownership OF railroads But believe
with equal hrmness that IL is the duty Of
the government to exercise a supervisory
and regulatory right over the railroads;
public that they should be managed in 5.
spirit of fairness end justice toward the
public. Actual experience has shown that
uncontrolled. Such a system, or ratheT
such a lack Of system. Is fertile in abuses
INSCRIPTIONS and ruthless cunning in rail- rail-
road management for there are some big
shippers and some railroad managers who
are always willing 10 take unfair advan-
tage OF their weaker competitors, and thew
thereby force other big shippers and bis
railroad men who would like to do de-
Gently, into similar acts OF wrong and dI I5-
justice, under penalty of being left behind
In the race for success. Government SUPER
terest OF the big shippers and Of the rail-
road man who want to do right as in tba
lhteIest VI the HtnaA shipper ana the con-
sumer.
II there is IN the minds OF the commission
any suspicion that certain railroad is ~
any shape or way giving rebates or behav-
ing improperly ] wish the commission 10
have power as a matter of right, not az a
matter OF favor, TO make a full ana ~
haustive investigation OF the receIpts ana
expenditures OF the railroad SO thai spv
violation OF evasion OF the law NAV ~
detected. This is not a revolutionary nro9
posai on my part, for / only wish the ssrS.
power given In reference to railroads maj
Is now exercised as a matter OF course b,,
the national bank examiners as reFards 4
national banks. suS
II must be understood. as a matter a,
course, that II this power Is GRANTED IL a. 4
20 be exercised with wisdom and cautto5
and self restraint The interstate cor,
merce commissioner or other governnsnt
pficial who failed to protect a raiirosd 4
that was IN the right against any clsnSer
no matter how violent, on the part ~ ~ {
public, would be guilty OF as sross 20 /
wrong as II he corruptly rendered An tr,a "a
proper service 10 the railroad al The aH
pense OF the public. When / saw a soma.
deal, mean a square deal exacfiv as
much a square deal for the rich man a.
for the poor man, but no more Ist eacb
stand on his merits, receive what A. 49,
him. ana be judged according 10 his ds.
serts.
To Railway EnpROyea.
In his address to the delegation Of rail
way employees IN this city, November "A
1915 the president said.