Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-25
TIGHTENING HIs GRIr.
Mr.. Harrimsn's Moves on the Railroad
Chess board.
Portland o~regonlan.

Portland oregonian.
Every move in the transcontinental rail-
road field reveals additional hrmness in the
grasp Of Mr.. Hartman. Through bis new
contract With the St. Paul be gets into the
territory Of the northern lines about as
effectively as the northern roads entered
Union Pacific territory through acquisition
Of the Burlington. BY the same stroke he
destroyed the motive Of the st. Paul for
building an independent line to the Pacific.
thus protecting Union Pacific interests at
an important point. Nov be announces a
comprehensive navigation plan that will give
him advantages in the Oriental trade and
adequate facilities for reaching all parts OF
the Pacific. These moves show clearness
Of vision, a steadfast purpose and executive
strength.
The bare announcement OF the inten-
tion OF the Oregon Short Line to father
steamship lines from Portland TO the Orient
and along the American coast from Mexico
TO Alaska leaves the project open to a great
variety OF speculation. The Hartman in
fuence is supposed to dominate Pacific Mail.
now and for many years operating from
San Francisco. It has for some time been
clear, however, that Pacific mail does not
NIL all the needs OF the Hartman system
for transportation on the Pacific Pacific
ocean. This was first apparent when the
Portland & Asiatic Steamship company was
first organized. Presumably the Portland
& Asiatic was put in the field as an expert
ment and its success is the basis for this
movement for more expansive service. At
any rate, 1t bears evidence of a well ma
tured plan and there will be great interest
in its development.
Mr.. Hartman has transmitted the st.
Paul from a fierce competitor into an ally.
He has thereby deprived another COM
petitor, the Missouri Pacific. OF an impor-
tant element in its plan of reaching the
Pacific coast on an independent basis. But
the Missouri Pacific is not yet bahfed, and
there is great reason to believe that It will
yet reach tidewater on this coast. 1t is
possible that this will be effected through
some arrangement with Hartman lines, but
the two systems are competitors at So many
points that the question OF harmonizing
their divergent interests presents many diff
f~culties. tn Missouri Pacific, and its
allies, the Rio Grandes, now reach west to
Salt Lake City. Being interested in getting
from the Union Pacific everything
at its eastern end, the Missouri
Pacific will probably find much trouble in
satisfactory terms for use Of Harri-
man lines at the western end, inasmuch as
Missouri Pacific facilities for get
ting to the coast would inevitably result in
increasing its competition in the east.
1t is to be noted that Hartman n
Gould are together in several important
properties. They are on the boards of the
Union Pacific and Pacific Mail. But this
ioes not establish relations that insure har-
mony among all the properties they are in
in. Harriman's move toward
breaking away from the exclusive rule OF
Pacific Mail, and Gould's M-concealed de- |
sire to reach the Pacific seaboard with his |
own lines, suggests possibilities that may
yet bring discord into the transcontinental
1t is not likely that st. Paul will be
used aggressively against the northern lines
not so aggressively. perhaps, as the pro-
posed new steamship service on the Pa
ifc-but it will serve as a foil for Burling-
which Hartman has needed ever since
be lost control Of Northern Pacific through
retirement Of the preferred stock. Now II
may be that taking the st. Paul alliance
from the Missouri Pacific will give the
road direction on its way to the Pa :
life that will rob it Of danger to Union
Pacific interests. II this theory should turn
tut to be true, It would shed additional
light on recent transactions and add luster
o Mr.. Harriman's reputation as a railroad
diplomat.