The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-04-02
ROOSEVELT HALTS
MS WAR ON ROADS
UNDECIDED WHETHER TO RE.
STORE CONFIDENCE OR BAT
TIE AGAINST STOCKS.
WILL NOT MAKE SPEECH


Washington, April 1.-Prosid nj
Roosevelt. in declining the invitation
OF the Illinois Manufacturers Assoeia
Zion to make an adress al Springfield
next week on the railroad situation
writes letter to G. II Smith, Dresi
dent OF tne assoc attn, explaining
that such an address from him at this
time would be useless, as his position
was well understood as he ST ands b.
all his previously expressed views.
From an authoritative source II is
learned that the Pr sident has not the
1 slightest intention of taking any ac,
tion which would nvalidate railroad
securities The President holds that
ievery executive action Of his admins.
tration regarding the railroads, has
furnished It's own ample Justification.
Neither hase the President, it is point.
ed out made any reference to the
physical valuation of railroads, hold
ing the roads capable Of working ouf
that problem for themselves.
!
the attitude Of the business interests
OF the entire nation--a fact that the
president has had brought home to
him more clearly during the past
week than ever before.
On the other hand. ii he yields to
the demands of the financial and bust
ness interests and makes statement
as means Of restoring confidence in
securities,and opens the purse of the
public 10 railroad investments he
feels he will lay himself open to the
| charge Of coming 10 the relief Of the
very forces that he has been fighting
and whom he has been planning to
| further combat
II Is this hesltancy on. hes pagl of
1.-THE administration I put itsaf n
stch light that Ii In large measure
| accountable for the lack Uf some de.
csiye action on the present financial
situations In other words, Mr.. Roose-
welt has a direct and personal interes
in the matter quite aside and apart
| from the needs Of the present hour
That is, when he is judged as man
and president, he does not want TO
have II said Of him that he joined
forces with a Sc of interests that he
had been denouncing and prosecuting
as enemies Of the public welfare
Is Perplexing S tuation.
Not since he has been the chief
executive of the government has Mr.
Roosevelt found himself IN such
perplexing situation. Heretofore he
has gone boldly ahead and never
taken much account Of the cost of the.
battle. II is vastly different in the
present situation He Is figuring the
cost az present and he secs that IL
may mean the collapse OF the present
unparalleled prosperity Of the com.
try When the history of the Roose
welt administration is written he
realizes that this same marye lous
marvellous condition win be one of the
greatest. if not the greatest laurel
that will be attached 80 his name,
and he does not Want TO miss any
laurel wreaths.
The anxiety that he mas felt that
The panicky conditions in Wall street
may extend to he other business in
terests of the country was greatly in
creased by the frank talk he had
with representatives Of the illinois
manufacturers last week. He came
very near deciding on the spot 70
make his long promised statement
White House is Storm Center.
Not in the most strenuous lines OF
the fight over the rate law year ago
has the White House been such a
storm center as at present Then
the o. csiteut was tn the saddle riding
over all opposition issuing his orders
"a his leutenan on the floor Of The
house and the senate and with the
publi, sentiment Of The country, as
represented by a majority Of coa-
gress. behind him. Now be Is stand.
Ing practically a'one. for there is NJ
obedicnt house and senate az hand,
and instead there are rumors of
breakers ahead in ihe business condi
: ons of the country. and 81 stilfallv
has the situation been handleL orI
perhsus it has developed 50 naturally
that II the gool times should come -
q close much Of the blame for such
condition couid be laii ar his door
President Roosevelt believes the
railroads have manipulated matters
to put him in the hole" ard that is
an additional reason why D. is holt
ne cut AGAINST their requests toi
make a statement % restore conf
dence in their securities And be has
held on: agains fhe advice Of some
of his closest ami most srusted
risers On his own cabinet. ASecretary
Root. on whose judgment he relies
perhaps more than any other infi-
g'Tuars. has advised him to maAe
statement without delay SecretsrF
e rfelyou has also done so They ~
(Co8claded on Third Pagel