Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-18
Declares He Has Not Spoken
III of Insurgents.
SITUATION IN THE SENATE
Legislative Affairs Discussed at Con-
ference Held Today.
RAILWAYS UNDER SUSPICION
President Fears Companies Are Re-
tarding the Administration Bill.
Soldiers Sentence COMMITTED.

President Taft today authorized his
closest friends in the Senate to give the
lie direct to stories in circulation in that
body that he recently made emphatic and
disparaging statements about the in
surgents, accompanied by explosive re-
marks not pleasing to these statesmen.
The latest situation in the Senate was
fully discussed at a conference the Pres
ident had with Senators Root, AldSich
and Crane Attorney General Wickersham
amendments proposed to the railroad bill
= lie information impaired to the Presi-
dent is that Senator Borah of Idaho is
circulating reports in the Senate that the
President a few days ago, in talking to
newspaper men, made remarks that
aroused the insurgents and caused them
to go around hot under the collars. An
other story IS that the President was by
TO means kindly disposed to the inslr-
gents in his long conference with senator's
Saturday night. at which there was every
appearance Of harmony among the re
publican factions Of that body.
The President it is understood. tried TO
recall what lie might have said upon
which to base the latest stories, but he
was unable to remember anything. The
senators who were with him returned to
the Senate prepared for the attempt to
remove the latest wrinkle that threatens
the parting of the ways OF the repub-
lican factions.
Loath to Believe Report
President Taft, it is said, dislikes to be-
lieve that Senator Borah is the circulating
medium of the stories that are said to be
creating havoc for short time He has
always had admiration for the Idaho SEN
ator and considered him friendly to the
administration, even if Independent in his
course in that body. He does not object
to independence when it is diSpla yed
against some Of his measures
1t is only when the independence takes
the form of incessant and regular oppoSi
ton to anything and everything the ad
ministratiOn advocates and seeks to have
become law. Senator BOrah has not been
placed in that class by the White rouse.
The President is said to feel that the
railroad bill will pass the Senate in spite
of efforts to array the insurgents and the
regulars in such way that railroad leg
iSlatiOn will be defeated. He is disposed
ed by the railroads, is back of the work
that is being done, and that the insur
gents have not been able to see this clear
ly. That they may do so later on he be-
lieveS will be the case.
Reports reaching him are that the
motives back of the whole thing are
cleverly directed toward defeating the
railroad bill more than toward stirring
up trouble within the party in the SEN
ate. The insurgents are sore because the
attitude of the White House has been
one that practically places them outside
the party ranks in the judgment of tine
President. They have felt that if party
harmony was sought the President should
call them into conference the same as
others. Feeling as they do they are natur-
ally aroused by stories that may be cir
culated by busy bodies.
Althogether. the President is disposed
to let the situation settle itself. He re-
CARDS the railroad bill, as 1t stands i'm
the Senate, satisfactory to the country
at large, and he feels that if the in
surgents upon one ground or another
wish to defeat the bill, they can take
4 he reSpOnSibility.