The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-05
GOVERNMENT PARTNER
 IN ONE MONOPOLY !.
PRESSURE BROUGHT TO OPEN THE ISTHlGXAN RAILWAY TO
 COMPETITION.
President, Fears ito Act Before EIee-
 ltiop - HaFximqn Interests, s nenelffag hy PaciMe ,t Mails C0ntrmcts,
 CIT Fe .Ob1ectn.
New York world.

New York World
 Powerful influences are being brought to bear on President Roosevelt to induce him to force the Govern continental transportation monopoly which it acquired when It secured com trol by purchase of the Panama Rail-
 With a working understanding be- tween the Northern. and Southern tranGzcontinental railway systems a few capitalists control the land trans R0rtstiSn between pan1a the Mississippi Val, Val, on the cross-continent traffic Is strengthened by contracts which the Pacific Mail Steamship line has with the Panama Railroad Company
 Pressure at Washfmgton.,
 The conflicting interests who are now bringing pressure to bear at Washington are the commercial clubs of San Francisco and the represents. lives of the Southern. transcontinentai railway lines. For years the business men of the Pacific coast have fought for the Panama Canal because they thought It's use would break the grip tribute on every pound of freight and on every passenger passing from the East to the West and from the West to the East
 For the same number of years the in . terested railroad owners fought the isthmian canal project because it's oper- ation might break the freight monop- oly which was so tremendously profit able to them. When Coils P. Hunting ton of the Southern Pacific. died the organized light against the canal ceased and the friends of this project ed waterway succeeded in passing the
 The railway interests atIn have, q slight hold on their monopoly through the Panama Railroad Company. and they are trying to prevent the Govern mont from interfering with the rem nant of their authority. The business men of the Pacific coast find that they are not getting the advantages they expected through the Government own ership of the Panama Railroad Com pany and are trying to strike the transcontinental monopoly through the Isthmian Canal Commission.
 Gsovernment's Holdings tn Road.
 When the United States purchased the Isthnnian Canal from the French company it secured sixty nine -seven- tieths of the stock of this corporation. The other one+seventieth is owned by many persons, but the largest holder of these shares Is the firm of Sullivan & Cromwell. which negotiated the deal for the sale of the canal
 Since the Government became the owner of the controlling interests in this road 1t has elected four of the Isthmian Canal Commissioners to di- rectorships in the corporation. Nine of the old directors remain on the board. JnG OTNCGEh are NtlG oAAHE do BG4QTE LuE purchase. It was reported at the time that the Isthmian Canal Commission CTS would not take full control until the annual meeting of the New York corporation which owns the road and steamship lines. This Is to be held next spring Tn the meantime the Gov ernment fs supposed to manage tha property by suggestion.
 To Build More ships.
 Since then the commission has prac- ticaIly decided to construct three new vessels to be used between New York and Panama, This indicates that the policy of the Government as represent ed by the acts of the commission is to Pemain in the steamship and railway business at least as long as the canal is under construction.
 One faction of the commission is dis posed to go further and stand for a policy which will give the Panama Railroad corporation very small re- turns on the money invested. To this the minority holders of shares object. They claim that they have Q right to their present largeNprofits. To sustain inc present percentage of pronts 1t is necessary. to continue present con
 one of these contracts. is with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. The etsamers of this line touch at impor- fanf Central American and Mexican ports and reach San Francisco. Its