Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-08-03

made him immune from attack az 2
creature OF Cannon and "the inter-
ests" had he or some Of his friends
taken advantage Of II at the right
tim.
4 Miller was formerly chairman OF
the house committee on claims to
which was referred the bill carrying
an appropriation to pay the Salton
lsea claim Of the Southern Pacific
railroad company for several million
dollars, The claim grew out OF work
done by the Southern Pacific COM
pany, then controlled by the late q.
IH Hartman, to protect a large re-
gion in Southern California from the
e1croachment of an inland sea, known
as the Salton Sea.
The work was done across the line
lin Mexico. Prior work done by the
Southern Pacific company is said to
have been responsible for the condi-
Ition from which relief was sought.
Before the relief work was done,
President Roosevelt had been appeal
ed to for government aid in meeting
the emergency. There were no gov
iernment funds available for the re-
lief work. President Roosevelt in
turn appealed to E. H. Hartman,
with whom he was then friendly,
Hartman having only recently made
a substantial contribution to the
bRoosevelt campaign fund.
President Roosevelt wired Harri-
man that 1t was his imperative
duty" to do the work necessary to
afford the desired relief, stating that
he would in his message take up with
congress the matter Of the future
control Of the source of the trouble,
which was on Mexican soil. Hartman
had the work done. He seemed to
regard the executive telegram as a
pledge that the government would
ultimately reimburse the Southern
Pacific for the money expended.
Accordingly a claim later came
before congress for several million
dollars on this account. The presi-
dent recommended that the claim be
allowed. 1t was referred to Millers
committee. The committee investi-
gated the claim. Much testimony
was taken regarding the matter and
1t is now all in printed form. Gov
eminent engineers we're sent to the
southwest to examine the work done.
Their report was to the effect that
the railroad company was claiming
more by over q million dollars than
the work had cost. 1t seems that
the members Of Miller's committee
we're agreed that the claim would
not be reported for passage. 1t was
mot.
President Roosevelt sent for Mill
er and insisted that tile claim would
be paid, becoming quite angry at the
|irsistence OF the latter that the rail-
road company was asking for at least
a million dollars more than hac been
Expended. Miller als> pointed out
that the work was done on Mexican
sell and that United States had no
way of protecting itself against the
work being torn out after 1t was paid
for.
Harriman's representatives con-
tinued to insist that the claim be paid
In full and President Roosevelt stood
with them, The president later dis
cussed the matter with Speaker Cans
non and enlisted his support with
Miller, The Kansas congressman told
the speaker that If his course as
chairman Of the committee was en-
barrassing to the speaker that he
would resign the craftsmanship but
that he would fight the claim on the
floor of the house, The facts were
that Miller had gone as deeply into
the claim as any representative OF
the government and he was convlnc.
ed that there was "a million dollars
OF graft in the bill. He did not pro-
pose to be a party to the graft. The
claim was not paid and is still pend
ing. BY his course Miller lost the
friendship of President Roosevelt
incidentally. he was later removed |
from his place at the head of that
claims-corlmittee.
What a story a good pre,s agent
would have made Of Il? How Kansas
could have been swayed to pride in
the spunk OF the Kansan standing
out down there at Washington
against the president. the speaker and
the greatest railroad influence in tho
But Il never got into the
to any great extent. MIL
er really exhibited a high order Of