The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-02
President Declines to.
Deliver Speech at
Springfield.
CALLS ATTENTION
TO HIS SPEECHES
Which Set Out Fully His Ideas
Regarding Government Super
vision Of Railways and Evils
OF "Watered Stock"
Is No Enemy to
Wealth.

WASHINGTON, April 1.-Presidcnt
Roosevelt has decided not to accept
81 tlt invitation to tho Illinois Manufac-
Z trrers' -.ssociation to deliver speech
at Springfield, I'LL, on the railroad sit
uation. He addressed Il letter yester-
day to G. = Smith. president OF the
association. stating that IT would be
inlpossiblc for him to accept the invi-
tuition extended last week, because he
die not feel that he had anything to
{ say ut this time In n special address
Oh tllis special subject
The President has received a great
number of requests for statement by
him. or u speech to he made by him,
III connection with tho railway situa-
ton. He has given these requests the
utmost weight ana most careful con-
I ssceration. 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 lie did
hot deem 1t either wise or proper to
bay anything with a view to any i'm
1ntdiate situation In Wall Street. and
hat as he should only give express
s;En TO the definite and settled policy
To- be carried Nout wholly without re-
gard to the exigencics of the moment
and as his views on the policy In qucs-
ton We're already matter of record,
itSdid not seem necessary at this time
to repeat them.
Acts Speak for Themselves.
The different men. friendly and un-
friendly, who have visited him or writ
ten to him. he has answered verbally
or In writing that his words and acts
sfone for themselves. and needed no
sc;,:.'abations whatever. and that, he.
Should NOT In his future course devIate
one hands breadth from the course ne
had pursued In the past and was now
pursuing.
The statement was made from an
authoritative source to-day that even
a most cursory examination of what
the President has repeatedly said III
srecch and message will show the
( utter nonsense of supposing the gov
ornment has the slightest intention to
take any action which would invaIi-
date the safety and stability of the
railway securities now issued. the
whole Legislative program of the Presi-
dent having been proclaimed again
and again as one to insure the future
against the mistakes and delinquencicst
OF the past. The President holds that
every executive action taken under Ills
administration. whether by the De-
i,artment of Justice or by the Inter
state Commerce Commission, has fur
E.shed its own ample justfication.''
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 oyercapitaliza-
tion of railroads. a similar request
was made at the last session. but
favorable faction was not taken uponi it.
Raleigh Speech.
In his letter to Mr.. Smith the Presi-
dent encloses copies of the speech he
r:adc at Raleigh, N. c.. October 49,
1906, and the one he delivered before
delegation of railway employees in
this city on November IA, 1905. together
With his last messages to Congress at
tie beginning OF the first ana second |
sessions of the last Congress. The
President concluded his letter to Mr.. !
Smith as follows:
ssYOu will see in tile two speeches
nnl the two messages that I have
said about all would sny if5I
spoke now. AS l said TO your
body the other dny, I have already
expressed again ana again my care
fully thOusht-Out beliefs. am
more firmly than ever convinced
that these beliefs are wise, ana
that the policy recommended In
my messengers at the opening of
oo1, Inr =, I,,uf ut NJ
Congress must be- carried out
The portions of his speeches and mes i
sages which the President marked are
as follows: I
Not for Government Ownership
Z In his address at Raleigh the Presi-
dent said:
II do not believe in government
ownership of anything which can
with proprety be left in private
hands, and in particular I should
4 most strenuousy object to govern
ment ownership Of railroads. But l
\ s. believe with equal frmness that it is
out OF the question for tho govern,
ment not to exert u supervisory and
regulatory right over the railroads;
FOR it is vital to the well being OF the
public that they should be managed
In a spirit of fairness and justice to-
ward all the public. Actual cxperi-
ence has shown thut It is not possible
4 to leave the railroads uncontrolled.
II Such Il system. or, rather such lack
Of SYSTEM is fertile in abuses OF
n every Kind, and puts II premium upon
unscrupulous and ruthless cunning IN
railroad management; for there are
some big shippers and some railroad
managers who are always willing to
take fairlndvantage of their4weaker
v N competitors and they thereby forco
u a other big SHIPPERS and big railroad
ss mel,--wl,o would like to do deccntly--
II 5iatc Similar acts. OF wrong and lnius-
~ tice, under penalty Of being left be-
/ z hind In tile race for success.
&c oyernment supervision is need
s5y ed iluite as much in the lnterestB|3
Continued on Third Pagc,).