The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-04-05
President NOT TO
SPEAK IN illinois
DECLARES HE HAS NOTHING
NEW TO SAY AT PRESENT ON
RAILROAD SITUATION.
Statement Made That No Action In
imica to Interests of Wall Street
or Railways Is on Chief Exeeu-
tive's Expected Programme.

Washington, April 2.-President
Roosevelt has decided not to accept
the invitation of the Illinois Manufac-
turers' association to deliver a speech
at Springfield, ILL.,, on the railroad
situation. He has addressed letter
to G. H. Smith, president of the as
sociation, stating that it would be i'm
possible for him to accept their invi-
tation, extended last week, because he
did not feel that he had anything to
say at this time in special address
On this special subject.
Has Nothing to Say at Present.
The president has received a great
number of requests for statement by
him, or speech to be made by him
in connection with the railway situa-
ton. He has given these requests
the utmost weight and most careful
consideration. After fully looking into
the matter the president informed his
advisers that he had come to the con-
ciusion that there was nothing now
which he had to say at this moment
On the railway situation; that he did
uOI uSSIu II SlllCl "lSC VI plopSl ~
say anything with a view to any i'm
mediate situation in Wall street, and
that he should only give expression to
the definite and settled policy to be
carried out wholly without regard to
the exigencieS of the moment, and as
his views on the policy in question
were already matter of record, it
did not seem necessary at this time
to repeat them.
To the different men friendly and
unfriendly, who have visited him or
written to him, he has answered verb
ally or in writing that his words and
acts spoke for themselves, and needed
no explanation whatever, and that he
should not in his future course devil
ate one hands breadth from the course
he has pursued in the past and was
now pursuing.
No Adverse Action Planned.
The statement was made from an
authoritative source that even a
most cursory examination of what
the president has repeatedly said in
speech and message will show the ut
ter nonsense of supposing the gov
eminent has the slightest intention
to take any action which would invali-
date the safety and stability of the
railway securities now issued, the
whole legislative programme of the
president having been proclaimed
again and again as one to insure the
future against the mistakes and delin-
ouencies of the past. The president
holds that every executive action
taken under his administration, wheth-
er by the department of justice or by
the interstate commerce commission,
has furnished it's own ample justifica-
ton.
1t was pointed out in administration
circles that the president had made
no references in his speeches or mes
sages on the question of the
physical valuation of the railroads.
His position on this question,
it was said, is that the roads
themselves will work out this prob
lem as an item of bookkeeping, and
reference was made to the fact that
two roads, the Northern Pacific and
the Great Northern, already have sub
mitted figures as to their physical val
uation.
1t can be stated authoritatively that
the president again will ask congress
at its next session, for power to
deal with the question of over
capitalization of railroads. A sim
liar request was made at the last
session but favorable action was not
taken upon it.
Incloses Copies of Speeches.
In his letter to Mr. Smith the pres
ident inclosed copies of speech he
made at Raleigh, N. c., October 10,
delegation of railway employees in
this city on November IA, 1905, to-
gether 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 speech
es and the message that 1 have said
about all that I would say if 1 speak
now. AS 1 said to your body the 9TH
er day, / have already expressed again
and again my carefully thought out
beliefs. I am more firmly than ever
convinced that these beliefs are wise,
and that the policy I recommended in
my messages at the opening of each
Of the last regular sessions of con-
sress must be carried out. Just at
the moment l do not see that 1 have
much to add to what I have already
said and l think that what has &C.
CURED since I wrote the two mes
sages in question merely illustrates