The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-08

terest and that there can be no backward
move So long as the railroads from one
end of the country TO the other have more
business than they can handle there is
slight probability of any break in this
beautiful scheme. The test will come when
PRESTON There viii ' them be fean earnings
and a struggle for traffic There will be
the Wall street end of the game to look
to and the urgent necessity for making
good showings. The matter of earnings may
be the fatal temptation. as il has always
been heretofore. "Cut-throating' has gone
out of fashion, ii is true, but the practice
may be resumed 1t is to guard against
railroad world are bending their energies
to hurry forward the far-reaching plans OF
combination
Indications point to stern alignment Of
opposition to the Gould invasion of the
Eastern trunk-line territory. This opposi-
ton appears to be taking form in a man
ner which may, if allowed to run its course,
ultimately disturb the serenity of the en-
tire railroad situation of the United States.
The latest developments for a union of in
interests in the West as well as the East
point to a concentration of arrangements
to restrain the ambition of Mr. Gould and
his connections. 1t is by no means a one
sided struggle. Associated with MIR. Gould
are the Rockefellers and Mr.. Carnegie.
How far they will go is the speculative
quantity. Mr.. Carnegie's special interest
seems to be against the Pennsylvania,
which he has always claimed hampered
him in the distribution of the products CT
his iron and steel mills and in the collec-
ton of raw material. The Rockefeilers be-
came associated with the Goulds through
their purchase OF Missouri Pacific bonds,
and the two parties have since become very
closely connected. The great banking house
of Kuhn, Loeb & Co., who are known in
the street" as backing u. II. Hartman
and his plans, was at one time very
friendly to George Gould, but that concern
seems to have been pulling away lately,
although still closely identified with James
Stillman, head of the National City Bank,
the Standard Oil institution.
The Rockefellers are supposed to be also
interested to some extent in Union Pacific
and other Hartman properties. They are
likewise holders OF stocks and bonds in
that they are financially in touch with
every phase of the controversy, and it is
extremely doubtful which way they will
ultimately pull, although at present they
porterS of George Gould. The success OF
Mr.. Goud'S plans depends very largely
on Rockefeller's fidelity to him, but it is
not improbable that in the final showdown
this tremendously powerful interest will
act as conservers of the peace and compel
an adjustment of differences between the
The extent and ramiflcations of the
Standard Oil investments are very made
Quately understood by the outside public
Standard Oil money is seemingly in every
thing that promises development and divi-
dend or interest returns. The directors OF
the operations of this great concern have
heretofore avoided open conflict with any
of the active factions in high finance and
transportation. The nearest approach tC
anything ugly is their acquiescence in the
stand made against j. Pierpont Morgan by
persons identified with the control of Stand
ard Oil deposits. AT the same time it is
noted that the Standard Oil party is repre-
scented in many of the Morgan properties
almost all of his important directorate:
having one or more individuals recognized
as belonging to that element. This may
| conduce TO financial quiet, but it is sug
| gestive of an armed neutrality, and tha
is more or less disquieting to confidence
| 1t is too much like the great nations equip
| ping themselves with enormously strons
navies and standing armies in order t.
| preserve peace among themselves. Their,
| is a hint of dynamite in the whole situa
| ton. OF course, dynamite will not explode
unless it is hit. There is no accident in
surance against mishaps of this kind, how
ever. w. G. n.