The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-03


mat you regretted this, and wished had
| ieIt II out In writing TO you 1 had IN
view certain matters connected with cur
Tehcy legislation, and had not thought
OF discussing railroad matters with you.
however, If it had occurred to me, L
should have been delighted to do So but
II you remember when you were down
mere both YOU and / were so interested in
! certain Of the New York political devel-
oPnents that | hardly, If at ALL touched
| on governmental matters. As regards
what | had said in my message about
the Interstate commerce commission,
while / say l should have been delighted
20 go over II with you. l also must frank
~ say that my mind was definitely made
up certain revelations connected with
lne investigation Of the beef trust caused
me to write the paragraph in question
went with extreme care over the infor-
NATION IN possession Of the Interstate
commerce commission before writing it,
L then went over the written paragraph
again and again with Paul Morton, who
Is, or all my cabinet, the man most IA
mlllar with railroad matters Of course
and with Root, Knox, Taft and Moody
1t is matter 1 had been carefully con-
sidering for two years. and had gradual
~ come TO the conclusion that II is IN
wise and unsafe for me to leave the
question OF rebates where II is now, and
to fail to give the interstate commerce
commission additional power OF an effec-
i've KIND IN regulating these rates
NHhtt6S Oii WILLIS
g Let me repeat that did not have
TINS question in mind when | asked You
TO come down, but that L should most
gladly have talked il over with YOU il
II had occurred to me to do so. but, as
matter Of fact, when YOU did come down
10 see me, you and | were both so en-
Gagged In the New York political situa-
ton that we talked of little else and fin
ally, that the position l have taken has
not been taken lightly, but after think
ing over the matter and looking at it
from different standpoints for at least two
years, and after the most careful con-
sultauOn with Morton, Taft, Moody, Knox
and Root, as to the exact phraseOlogy 1
should use
I do not send you a copy simply be-
cause they have given no one a copy,
Is impossible If / give out copies of any
poruon OF my message to prevent the
message being known in advance, and
the three press associations who have
now the message are under heavy pen
atty not to disclose a word of it before
the appointed time
On Dec. 3 he wrote me the following
letter on the same subject:
Dec. ,, 1904.-Dear Mr.. President:
Thank you for your favor Of the 30th.
1t was natural for me to suppose
that railroad matters would be included
IN any discussion you and | might have
before writing your message ] am of
the opinion that an effective interstate
commerce commission could regulate the
matter of rebates and absolutely prevent
the same. without any additional power
of any kind, and, as YOU say. Paul Nor
ton Is more familiar with such matters
than any Of the others of your cabinet,
and 1 believe he will agree with me in
this. I fear there has been a lack of
cooperation
Needs of the Railways,
" During the enormous development OF
the last four years the railroads have
found it very hard to keep pace with
the requirements imposed upon them. and
the so-called surplus earnings as well as
additional capital have been devoted to
providing additional facilities and the bet
terlnS and enaTging of their properties,
so as to give the Increased and betteH
service required of them. This work of bet
terment and charging must go on, and
is all-important for the proper develop
ment of all sections of the country There
IS little doubt that during the next de-
cade every single track railroad in the
country will have to be double tracked
and provide for enlarged terminals
and other facilities. and any move that
will tend to cripple them financially would
De detrimental to all interests over the
whole country.
Z beg that you will pardon my not
signing this personally as I have to leave
to catch ny train for Arden. and have
asked my secretary TO sign it for me.
Yours sincerely
Il was unable to agree with Mr. Har-
rlmans views of the matter and lett
my message unchanged as regards the
interstate commerce law.
THE rough draft of this portion of the
message was completed in October before
the election. 1 had always discussed with
freedom all my proposed moves in the
trust and labor matters with the repre-
sentatives of the big combinations or big
railroads. as well as with the leaders
of the labor men, of the farmers organ
lzatiOns. the shippers organizations and
the like-that is. / had as freely seen and
communicated with Mr.. Hartman Mr..
Morgan. Mr. Hill and other railroad men
as l had seen and communicated with
Mr.. GOmpers. Mr.. keefe, Mr.. MOrrissey
and other ;abor leaders.
Hartman Always Protested.
Mr. Hartman. like mosts of the big
railroad men, always has written me very
protesting against my proposed
course as regards the supervision and
control over big combinations. and especi-
ally over the big railroads. In letter of
his of Aug. 19. 1902. for instance, he ex-
pressed the fear that a panic would fol-
low my proposed action.
1T will be seen that the above CORE
spondence is entirely incompatible with
what Mr. Hartman now, as you inform
me- alleges as to my having asked him
to secure money or to subscribe money
for the presidential campaign. As for the
Depev matter. he professed throughout
to be acting in the interest Of Governor
OdeII and though Governor Odell had
been anxious that Mr. Depew should be
nominated as ambassador to France at
a time when he\was supporting Governor
Black for senator, he had changed his
mind shortly after the last letter to me,
above quoted, from Mr.. Hartman, and
on Dec 10 ne wrote me the letter | en-
fr,71r