The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-04-29
TAFT May Speak Out and Say Some
thing Very Much to the Point
If the Opposition Still
Keeps Going
THE RAILROAD BILL
cummins and LaFoIette Not Only
Stirring up the Senate But Try
ing to Raise Discord in
the House.

WASHINGTON April 29.-President
Taft will not consent to muuIlation OF
the railroad bill now being consider
ed in house and senate. He will not
object to changes which either
branch OF congress wants to make, so
long as these do not rob the measure
OF its essential features.
While the senate and the house
were arguing the bill President Taft
was quietly getting information as to
how it is progressing, and what its
probable fate will be. Among others
at the white house were Representa-.
tiyes Steenerson, Cooper and Pickett,
all insurgents. Cooper denied he had
talked to Taft. He would not hazard
a guess along the line that the prest
dent wanted.
Steenerson had a long talk with
the president Only the railroad bill
was discussed. The president wanted
to know how the bill was progressing.
Steenerson was unable to tell him, be.
cause the voting has SO far been so
close in the house that vote on any
given amendment can not be'forecast-
ed. The president did not conceal the
fact that he is now anxious about the
measure. Several of the insurgents
who had voluntarily pledged their sup.
port have voted with the democrats
on amendments. Steenerson was ask.
ed II Taft had requested him to do
some missionary work for this meas
ire, but he would not give a direct
reply.
From another source it was learned
that the president is not calling for
aid from the Ohio delegation alone in
getting the bill through the house.
\ Some Of the insurgents are openly
deserting the president in this fight,
Murdock being one of them. 1t Is
significant, therefore, that 1T was
chiefly to insurgents that Taft talked
Senator's Cummins and LaFollette
4 are charged with having carried their
senate fight into the house. Both OF
these have influence with western
representatives, and they are said tc
be exerting all of this to rip up the
bill in the house where they fail to
do that in the senate. They hope
that between their own efforts in the
senate and those of their followers in
u the house they will be able to change
the bill in many features before it is
finally disposed Of.
Some of the presidents visitors say
that he talked pretty firmly as to his
intention in the handling of those
who persist in opposing the Legislation
he believes is sought by the country
The president according to those wht
have talked with him, is subjectins
himself to much restraint to preven
spealsing sharply in a public speech
or otherwise about those who arr
standing in the way of legislative &C
complement at this session or, a
least about those who visit the whit
house with protestations OF friendshi
for the president and his administrs
tion, and yet privately or publicl
work against his measures in congres:
The president believes in the oil
way Of expressing his feelings direci
lv to the man or men he feels guilt
Of duplicity. He is known to hav
spoken with great frankness on seN
eral occasions, caring little who hear
his remarks. He prefers the man-tt
man method of criticism rather tha
the use of newspapers to vent his dis
pleasures, but there are intimation
that if the opposition to his measure
continues to the extent of defeatin
any of them, he will publicly ope
upon those responsible, regardless
the consequences from a party stan'
point He has been advised tha
there is much more to be gained b
this process than can be lost.
Hy~ ryyrrrrHrn