Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-18
HENSEL GOES SLOW.
No State Interference With
the Reading Deal Will
Take Place Till
PUBLIC DANGER rs CLEAR.
A Conservative Policy Not Influenced
by the Stock Boards.
PATTISON DENIES RECENT TALES.
PUBLIC DANGER rs CLEAR.
PATTISON DENIES RECENT TALES.
The Lackawanns Company to Double Its
Capital, 1t Is Now Said.
NO POSITIVE DENIAL Is OBTAINED

HARRISBURG, Feb. 11.-Governor Pat
tison, having had his attention directed to-
day to various newspaper reports purport-
ing to represent his attitude toward the
railroad consolidation of last week and the
contemplated action or non-action of the
Law Department, said:
''The first information, direct or indirect,
had of the leases or consolidation of the
coal carrying companies, was the newspaper
reports of the same. Since their publica-
ton the bearing of the State Constitution
upon the transaction and its effect upon the
public interest and the welfare of the Com
monwealth, have been the subjects of atten-
tion.
81 have conferred with the Attorney
General, and he with me. The subject is
one that relates to his department e1elu-
sively, and have entire confidence that he
will dispose of it with due regard to the re-
quirements of the law and the public inter-
ests involved. The published reports L
have seen, purporting to give his views or
mine, have been unauthorized and untrue. "
Hensel Denies Newspaper Stories.
Attorney General Hensel, upon having
the above statement of Governor Pattison
shown to him, and upon being asked what
truth there was in the published report that
be had considered the railroad deal before
it was announced, and had determined then
or since to take no action in the premises,
said: "With regard to the particular state
ment printed, believe, first in the Record
and amplifed elsewhere, that 1 had informa-
tion of the lease ten days ago, and had de-
cided the State would not interfere, 1 have
Just sent dispatch to the Record saying its
statement is utterly incorrect, and that L
never had any information of the arrange
ments between these railroads other than
such as was conveyed to the public through
the newspapers, nor before those publica-
tions. I have neither come to any deter
mination nor decided upon any course OF
sction further than have made known the
same to the public, and any statement here
tofore made to the contrary is untrue.
Not Responsible for Recent Fakes.
s'This department is not responsible in
any way for the somewhat misleading re-
ports sent out from day to day, purporting
to represent conclusions reached and action
determined upon with regard TO the Com
monwealth's interference in the lease of
certain railway lines by certain others al
legged to be parallel or competiting. It is
true that from the first announcement of the
consummated arrangements between them
whatever it is-the alleged violation of the
Constitution involved has had consideration
bv the Executive. 1t does not raise the
same issue which was determined in the
South Penn and coal conspiracy cases
neither of which, by the way, was ever
finally determined in the Supreme Court.
''You may be assured, nothing done or
omitted by this department will be prompted
by consideration for the contending inter-
ests of rival corporations; nor will any
action be taken or neglected with an eye
upon the stock boards.
No Rash Policy in Vogue.
cit has not been the practice or the policy
of the Attorney Generals Office, SO far as
am familiar with its administration, to
invoke or lend the name and powers of the
Commonwealth to merely private interests;
nor to resort to its extraordinary remedies
when other as effective could be employed;
nor has it been considered . fair and rea-
sonable exercise of the States power to vex
and assail any interest in the Common
wealth without due inquiry and fair hearing
''It is the usual practice to entertain any
respectable complaint of the abuse, misuse
of non-use of corporate franchises, and,
upon due notice, to give full hearing to
complainant and complained against
stand ready to do that in this case. When
it is made to appear that the public interest
is affected, and the circumstances render it
proper or necessary that the Commonwealth
intervene, resort is had to the courts
wherein, by fit judicial processes, inquiry
is made and judgment is reached. Only
when sudden e1igency warrants it, or
irreparable injury is threatened, or where
being corrected, is more precipitate action
justified.
No Action Till Necessity Is Shown.
mo hearing is ever denied complaining
debtors, but in no case, except such as I
have just referred to, is litigation instituted
until the danger of the general public inter-
est is demonstrated. No exception to such
orderly methods will be made, because in
this particular case it is alleged the intrac-
tion complained of is to the detriment of
one private corporation and to the advant-
age of another, or because it is maintained,
on the one hand, that the immediate effects |
upon the business interests of the State are |
beneficial, and, on the other hand, it is held |
that ultimately the public will suffer from 8 |
monopoly of one of the great necessaries of |
life and OF manufacturing industry.
"The questions of constitutional law and |
of public policy involved will be met when |
they are properly presented. If it should |
be made to appear, after such hearing, that 1
the Constitution has been violated, that |
public interests are prejudicially affected |
and that the proper remedy is the interven- |
tion of the Commonwealth, the necessary |
and proper measures will be taken with |
public notice to all concerned. Nothing |
will be done in hurry and nothing will be |
done in corner; but the public interest \
will be protected against every danger that |
threatens, SO far as lies in my power and
within the scope OF my duty. Meanwhile, |
no private interest or individual that is |
affected is without remedy or needs to wait |
upon the Commonwealth"
Rumors of a Lackawauna Deal.
A dispatch from New York saws.
There was a rumor in railway circles TO-
day that it is the purpose of the directors of
the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
Railway to increase the stock of that road.
The definite shape that the report took was
that the stock would be doubled. and that
instead of per cent interest, 6 would be
Maid upon it. 1t is well known that there
have recently been large sales OF Lackawan-
ma stock, and it is asserted that important
changes are imminent in the control and
of the road.
It is also asserted that the price paid for
the stock by the recent buyers was such that
small profit could be expected in the trans
action by reason of an advance. Some other
method of realizing profit, it is said, must
have been in view. This, according to re-
port, was by means of increasing the stock.
Samuel Sloan, President of the road, said
that he had heard of rumors to the effect
that the stock will be increased, but he
new nnthinr vet but at a future meet |