Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-12-21
CTo be continued.)
HARTMAN AND THE PUBLIC.
Why Gear of Pacific Railroads Can
Not See Where PeouIe Come in

why Gear of Pacific Railroads Can
Not See Where People Come in.
E. IL. Hartman seems, on the whole,
the most striking type of all the rail
road magnates. His power is really
autocratic. | have drawn the word
"czar," as applied to his personality,
not from Western farmers, out from
his very Wall street associates. At the
moment of writing, Hill seems In the
ascendency, but no close observer Of
this thrilling fight can afford to ignore
Hartman very long. He runs deep.
His picture is never published in news
papers or magazines except for a rare
and stealthy snapshot taken on the
street. He does not talk for publica-
ton. l recently made an effort to talk
with him and get his views on the
subject of Western railroad develop
ment. He refused Internationally to
see me.
This would be a trifling matter if it
were not typical. Wall street is
where the spiders are-and spiders
never buzz. Hartman is a good man
better than certain other millionaires
because there is about him nothing of
the Pharisee. His friends think of his
quiet kindness. His business associ-
ates respect and admire him with
something close to awe. He Is deeply
interested in boys clubs and in good
roads. Some years ago he organized
scientific party, and took it to Alaska
for study on the ground. He is hon
est even about his railroading, because,
as | have said, he sees only the Won
derfully complete logic of the structure
he is building. The people, with their
laws, and their federal government,
seem to him vague, inconsiderable
things. Therefore he is unable to see
why any mere individual or any mere
periodical should NEEDLE in his private
affairs-the railroads. He does not
consider it worth while even to concili-
the people come in. This control Of
the railroads is a mighty weapon. He
proposes to swing it as he chooses
he, one man, Edward II. Hartman
and, If the laundering public wishes to
keep safe, it would better get out of
the way; though he will be very care
full, and will try to swing economically
and soundly. Least Of all does he see
that the laundering public has a
weapon of its own, bigger than MS,
and that this public has "a very heavy
handed way, now and then, of cutting
free.
These men think they are fighting
for different things-Hill. perhaps, to
hold his own and develop that far
eastern trade he likes to talk about;
Gould to place the keystone on his
arch so that it may not fall of its own
weight to the ground; Hartman for
what he can get There are other in
fiuences, too, such as the chance of
immediate profit, the pride Of achieve
ment. and the lust of the game. OF
the three men, Hartman has the most
Napoleonic mind. He certainly has no
inhuman wish to crush men or cities,
and he probably regards the injury to
certain helpless communities which re-
suits from his arbitrary control of
rates much as Napoleon regarded q
few thousand men left in the trenches
to their fate He might feel a mo-
mentary regret, but it is necessary to
his scheme. AS man, perhaps, he
would hesitate; but a car in the world
of dollars must not bother with hui
mainly. Right or wrong, he has built
up his perfectly logical structure.
Whether he likes 1t or not he must
conform to its logic, or it will crush
him precisely as he and it have crush
ed others-Samuel Merwin, in Success
Ma gaZine.