The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-21
MAGNATES In TOWN
WICHITA VISITED BY PROMINENT
RAILROAD MEN.

Reorganization Committee OF the Atchison
Making q Tour of the System-Frisco
and Santa Fe VIII Not be Separated
President Mccall of the New York Life
Among the yisitorsHHe Says POpuIist
Believes That the silver Sentiment is a
Manifestation of Insanity.
Last night some distinguished rail-
road men were in the city and were en-
tertained at the Commercial club.
They came in from Galveston on a
special train and remained here until I
o'clock this morning.
The party consisted of Messrs. Walk
er, chairman of the reorganization
board, and Fowler, Nickerson, Rotch
and Osborn, members Of the board of
directors of the Atchison, Topeka and
Santa Fe railroad; Alsbury of Amster-
dam, Eastman of New Hampshire, rep
resenting the st. Louis and San Fran
cisco bondholders; Mr.. Kobbe, secretary
of the Atchison reorganization commit
tee; Mr.. Wilder. treasurer Of the Santa
Fe, and Mr.. John A Mccall, president
of the New York Life Insurance COM
pany.
They were received at the club at s
O'Clock by the chief members and enter
tanned very nicely and in a manner
highly appreciated by the distinguished
visitors.
The best mixer among the visitors and
probably the most genial OF them all
was Mr.. John A. Mccall of the New
York Life, whose company has a great
deal of money invested in the Santa Fe
system.
In conversation he said that the party
was going over the Santa Fe system 10
look over the property and discuss the
separation of the Santa Fe from the
Frisco. He said that there would be no
separation and that both roads would
still continue to do business under the
same administration although, he
thought, the system was almost too vast
for one management.
He preferred talking politics to rail-
road business. 1t was his first visit to
Kansas and the southwest and he was
very enthusiastic over the resources and
possibilities of the country. He said he
saw some of the finest farming land
along the system that he has ever seen
in his life. He said that while he was
highly pleased with Kansas the mOnied
interests were steering clear of the state
on account of the uncertainties of in
vestments. This uncertainty was due
principally to wild legislation and the
wild theories of Populism. He said that
there was so much surplus money in
England that the capitalists there in
vested recklessly in Kaffir stocks for
want of something better to do with it.
He was positive that il Kansas pur-
sued a legislative policy that would
guarantee reasonable protection to cap
ital that a great deal of it would come
here for investment. He thought the
free silver sentiment Of the west was
manifestation of general insanity. He
IS typical gold bug or, according O.
his own expression, a sound money
man. He is a Democrat and a personal
friend and great admirer of Grover
Cleveland; so much so that he thinks
he is the savior of the country. He
thought that the country wanted an in
crease Of confidence rather than an in
crease in the volume of currency He
din't think there would be any noticea-
able restoration of confidence so long IS
there was a man at the head of the sem
ate finance committee whose own paper
was not worth ten cents on the dollar.
He referred to Senator Voorhees, of In
diana. He also thought that if Kansas
had sent PETER to the asylum instead OF
sending him to the United States senate
that it would have been much better for
the state.
Speaking about Cleveland and a third
term, he said that the talk about C1eve-
land wanting a denomination was all
boSh; that, in fact, he is counting the
days with anxiety until he is a private
citizen again. He thinks that if the Re-
publicanS adopt a. sound money plat
form there will not be any Democratic
candidate in the east against them. He
believes that "silver heresy" in the
south and west viii disorganize and /
break up the Democratic party if it con- |
trolls the Chicago convention. Although !
being a strong Democrat himself he
does not hesitate to predict a dark fut- |
ure for the Democratic party.
He says theeast would be very strong |
against a high tariff if it was the issue. |
but he thinks the issue will be soley and |
entirely on the money question.
Speaking about the Hilmon case now |
being tried at Topeka for the fifth time, |
Mr.. Mccall showed that he was well ac- |
quainted with the details of il. He says /
that the case has cost his company $780, |
300. or more than three time the |
amount involved in the policies. When |
he got TO be president of the company /
he sent Mr.. Stewart Browne west with /
Instructions that If he could find any
possible testimony justifying the pay |
nent of the insurance claim to pay il. /
Mr.. Browne, who is also in the city now, |
made a thorough investigation. and /
could find no excuse to pay the insur-
ance TO Mrs. Hilman. The case is now /
being tried at Topeka and if II is not /
decided one way or the other this time +