The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-20

President Mellen Of the New york,
New Haven and Hartford Railroad was
with President Roosevelt from 2.s0 70 $40
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. No state
ment was forthcoming from either the
White House or Mr.. AielIen after The call.
but il may be asserted with entire conf
denee that the principal topic Of con-
iversation was not the Taft Presidential
boom, and that the railroad president did
not visit Mr. Roosevelt with a view 70
furthering Mr.. Taft's political fortunes.
/ When seen after leaving the White
House, Ar. MeIlen invoked what he
called. without even the suggestion OF a
smile, the unwritten law" II I said
anything about my conversation with the
President it might be misunderstood and
nisinteTpreteds he remarked; therefore,
shall say nothing
Asked if any other railroad presidents
would call on Mr.. Roosevelt in the near
future. Mr. Mellen repliad that Secretary
Loeb was the proper berson 10 whom
! applications for information on that point
should be made. II was possible, he
added, in answer to another question,
that he would come to Washington again.
Me1en a Personal Friend.
The President and Mr. AIellen are per-
sonal friends Of long standing. and il is
! assumed that the brief talk between them
was frank on both sides. The natural in
/ ference. OF course. Is that the general
railroad situation was discussed. II is
possible. too. that some reference was
made TO the attitude Of BIessrs. McCrea,
Newman. and Hughitt, whose apparent
| reluctance to call ct the White House
without special Invitations from the Pres
idents despite the use Of their names in
the statement given out by J. Pierpont
Morgan week ago, has excited some
comment. The belief still prevails in
weil-informed circles here that the Incl
/ dent Is not yet closed. and that Mr.
Mellen is not the only one Of the four
presidents mentioned by sfr. Morgan who
viii come 70 the Capital 20 see Mr. Roose-
velt
/ While other details Of the railroad sit
tuation may be sEfoude6 In doubt. it is safe
/ 70 assert that the administration bas no
intention Of deVofiag its energies to the
punishment Of innocent investors in rail-
road stocks for stOck-jobblng deals and
other maniDulations of the past, but,
rather. win work Ia the direction Of secur-
ing legislation which will make overcap-
italization and its attendant evils impos-
sible IN the future.
/ knowledge Of this fact undoubtedly has
/ led certain 'frenzied fnanciers'' 10 feel
ling OF great relief regarding "A heretofore
uncertain phase OF the railroad situation
as affected by the attitude Of the national
government
Result of Deneen Conference.
The information here given is one Of the
developments Of the conference last Sat
urday between President Roosevelt and
Gov. Deneen and Attorney General Stead.
/ OF Illinois. the State of Illinois bearing
peculiar relations TO some of the roads Of
the Hartman system, whose affairs have
Iattracted much attention as a result of the
recent investigation conducted by the In
terstate Commerce Commission.
| The developments yesterday brought
about no change in the railroad situation
The President doubtless will reiterate his
views concerning railway control and
furnish a complete outline Of his plans
with reference 20 new legislation; but
even he himself does not know when this
viii be done he is feeling his way To-
ward solutions Of the serious problems
/ furnished by transportation conditions,
and he naturally will take ample time for
q
cisiOn. that decision viii be announced,
not through an offhand statement to some
caller, but in a carefully prepared speech
or, perhaps, in a message 10 Congress.
In other words, IL is possible that no an
noancemeDt in the premises will be forth
coming until the meeting Of the Sixtieth
Congress. While it is known that some
OF the railroad magnates interested would
Ike 10 have a special session Of Congress-
Of
railroad legislation, there is not the
slightest reason to believe that the Presi-
dent has even thought of issuing a call
for such d session,
President Informing Himself.
The President is getting the ideas Of
railroad heads on the situation as a part
OF his policy of informing himself as com
p!etely as possible. and from all view
points. Each of the six magnates who
have seen him recently-Messrs. Harrl-
man. Morgan, Yoakum, stiekney, speyer.
and Mellen-has offered certain sugges-
tions, and these VIII be given due con-
sideration
While only a few months ago prscu-
cally all the railroad presidents in the
country were criticising the adminlstra-
tons railroad programme and urging
the State governments 10 resist the at
iempts of the Federal government 10
usuTp the powers belonging 20 them.
within the last two weeks it has been
obvious that complete change of front
has occurred. and that now. as was
pointed out in The Washington Herald
yesterday, the railroad magnates are not
only acquiescing in the Presidents pro
gramme to a very large extent, but are
anxious 10 have that programme carried
cut as soon as possible ia order TO stop
anti-railr0ad agitation
1t is not obvious that this viii have any
effect on the Presidents attitude. but Il
may be logically expected TO BE- a factor
when Congress meets again and the sub
ject Of railroad legislation Is taken up
Appreciates Business Attitude.
That business interests in the United
States are worried, the President fully
understand, and be Understands also
that the cure for whatever it IS that has
produced present conditions cannot be
ascertained in day He knows that
railrosd officials ard those who have
money Invested in railroads are seriously
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