East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-04-15

what time? Ten O'Clock at night.
There weren't any newspaper report
srs around then TO tell the country
that the president was comforting
with that bad man from Wisconsin
Well l vent in and / stayed until
midnight He was very nice to me
and ! was very much In earnest with
him and l told him. Mr.. President,
you have just got the chance that
comes to few men in the history OF
this country. transportation is ev-
erything TO the people OF the United
states. The railroads control the
highways TO market and they take all
the toll they please OF every load
OF grain that goes to market; every
load of cattle, sheep. hogs and every
car load Of merchandise or commod-
tiles that comes from the West back
East. They take what they please
and il comes out of the people in the
end. The coal merchant and the
lumber merchant may pay the chare-
6 to begin with and the
always pays all OF the freight in the
end and you have such a splendid
chance to help the people of Ameri-
ca to make this railroad bill amount
To something. They have waited for
3 years and they have elected a man
u push this bill through as amended
and they have kept that mar here at
Washington for nine years. knocking
on the doors Of these committees
pleading with them to aid him: and
now they have d bill here that is not
one bit better and is not worth the
paper it is written on and Section 20
is the only one in it that is good and
Section 20 merely provides that all
the railroads shall keep their books
in the uniform manner but that is so
that the commission can tell whether
or not they are cheating when they
make their reports. Put valuation in
to the bill. send it down to III United
States senate
But he said: We wont get any
such bill through
But l replied you hadn't better
get anything through than such a bill
as they propose 10 pass.
but l want to get something on
the statute books
Il said, blu il you get something
on the statute books now people will
be led to believe that it is worth
something. This organized opinion is
behind this movement and it will
take three or four years for them II
find they nave not anything. Then
we will have u start in and arouse
interest and enthusiasm and it will
take another nine years. Now you
have the chance to put ii through
He said. IF it fails?'
81 replied, If it fails this time
with all the people you lay got be-
hind you you can go out and make a
few speeches in the vacation and ar
ouse so much feeling that it will be
most sure to carry; and then if you
should fail, Mr.. President. If you have
left in your messages a correct state
ment Of what will benefit the people
along this line OF legislation it will
be a better monument for you than
any half way measure such as this
going on the statute books
Well. l really think I made some
impression on him but it didn't las
very long and he did not send the
message down and the bill went
through just as it was and before it
passed I took the floor and l made a
few observations about that bill.
skinned it-that is what / did |
took just three days to do it-yot
people are going to get off easy thi
afternoon on the subject. deliver
ed a speech on the subject just 13
pages long and I think pretty nearl
every head Of the transportation de
partment in leading Universities il
the United States has asked for
copy of that speech. 1 treated tn
subject Of valuation completely.
showed just what we had done /
Wisconsin. l entered my protest
: that was the best l could do but wher
/ offered those eight amendment
they voted them down.
t - year went by. I was over i
Il New York speaking in Plymout
: church-in Beecher's old pulpit-an
d the next dav I got a message froI
J. Washington from Roosevelt's secre
te tary. Loeb. asking when I was com
20 ing back. | said in a short time. II
said the president wants to see 70
= as soon as YOU return. He had NJ
been wanting to see me for about
= year-just did not like the trimmin
le l gave this bill Of his. He was un
le willing to believe himself and hav
II American manila haIiava ~ = NOT