Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-04-26
LAPOLLETTE TELLS OF
THE HEPBURN LAW.

Friday evenings Courier contained
a portion OF Senator LaFollette's
speech in Grants Pass, the printed ad-
dress ending while LaFollette was dis
cussing the Hepburn railroad rate
bin. The senator continued as fol-
lows:
The Interstate commission had
worked out the eight amendments
that would protect the people and get
reasonable rates. But the bill went
through the house without the
amendments, and in this shape 1t had
been reported favorably to the SEN
ate by the committee in charge OF II.
Nobody offered to put in the amend
ments. Lincoln Steffens-yOu know
the writer, Lincoln Steffens-came to
me and said. Bob, why don't you go
and tell Roosevelt all about this af-
fair?" / replied / had no especial
welcome awaiting me at the White
House. He answered that he would
get me an invitation. So one night,
and It was a Sunday night, and 1t was
at 10 O'Clock at night, with no news
paper men about to report that
Roosevelt was comforting with
crank, | received a call over the tel
ephone from Loeb, secretary to the
president, that Mr.. Roosevelt wished
me to come to the White House. |
made a long call. l stayed until
midnight drew chair up close
and faced the president. | put a
hand on each knee of the chief ex-
ecutive, and ! looked him squarely
in the eyes, and ! told him of the
railroad fight in my own state and
what had been accomplished. For
two hours We had il. ! offered this
proposition. Get the real valuation
of the roads, that there was no use
to try to establish equitable rates un-
less the real valuation was placed on
the roads. I pleaded with him until
midnight. Then l went home About
2 o'clock Lincoln Steffens called me
on the telephone. He had entered
the white house as | went out. He
told me that you really have made
an impression on the president-he
will tomorrow call the members Of
the commerce commission to the
white house and talk with them on
the subject" | thought to myself
I'I'll beat him to It. Til tell the
commissioners that Roosevelt is 60
ing to call them and to plead With
him to send a message to veto the
bill unless the amendments are placed
in It. Commissioner Prouty said
that he would and that the amend
ments were the only thing connected
with the bill worth a rap. Knapp said
he wouldn't recommend them
Knapp belongs, as he always has, to
the railroads He. is now chief in
that newly created commerce court
which kills the good done by the In
terstate Commerce commission.
When | get to be president l am go
ing to put that court out Of business.
Then I went after that bill for
three days, and when l got through
with it It was in rags. Then I put
in the amendments and made that
senate go to rollcall on the measure.
And I know that by my work on that
occasion helped to retire some of
them. Ny work at that time Is
one thing am proud of. talked on
the floor for 10 consecutive hours.
That's my record and you people
here tonight needn't think you are
going to get off easy.
When | couldn't cover the earth
with my platform I founded a maya
zine.
Roosevelt Signed 1t.
| denounced the Hepburn rate law
as 1t was framed. | denounced it on
the floor of the senate as fraud.
Roosevelt signed it, but Roosevelt
didn't like it.