The news & observer., 1905-12-13
ALL HONORABLE MEN.

Not tha-< least startling of the re-
, Elections which have been forced upon
an interested public during the
progress of the Equitable dispute and
scandal and the subsequent inyestiga-
ton of the science of insurance gen.
orally as represented by the great New
York companies, is that produced by
the number of instances in which in
peccable gentlemen of fame and mil
lions have gone upon the stand and,
with more or less of savoir faire. given
one another the lie polite. This con-
tradictioH has been in several instan-
ces of so direct a character as TO leave
nothing but a shuddering alternative
between two utterly respectable mag
mates and the ugly word of perjury"
And. after the shock of such a de-
duction, the resulting mystery as to
who has lied is so much of an enigma
that the average citizen with no pen
chant for calculus has perforce been
contented to give each party to the
controversy the benefit Of his argli-
ment as to the other.
When such eminent financiers as
Mr. Hazen Hyde. Mr.. Thomas Collier
Piatt, Grandpa McCurdy. President
Mccall. Benj'y Odell. Johnny Per
kins. f. Fl. Hartman and Thos. f.
Ryan individually and severally ioia
in a Bible kissing chorus of confession
and avoidance through the easy re-
ooi,
liars-why who can doubt such testi-
mony? 1t would be received without
question at any bank in the country
and we are open to argument. We be-
lieve them--all. Annie. such resound-
ing symposium it would be indeicate
TO doubt, much as two months ago
we would have needed to be convinced.
Nevertheless. the testimony is as inn
peccable as the witnesses. The axiom
that "all men are liars has been en-
larged to include the NaDoleons of
finance "They themselves have said
it," regardless of their credit-in
which alone they are not fiy-specked
i'm the operation. In such company,
an ordinary liar. though with the
modesty becoming talent in the pres
ence of genius, may yet throw out his
chest in pride of his associates.
In all this giving of the lie, the
methods of the various eminent gen.
tlemen have also afforded interesting
entertainment. There seems to be be-
tween them as great a variance in the
giving of the lie as in the telling of
one. One has pesticulated wildly in de-
nal: another has stated the facts as
he handed them out with cold de-
precation of extravagant statement IN
his fellows which was cynical but just;
still another has gotten mad and
shouted his responses; while in the
case of Mr.. Ryan, after testifying to
what amounted 20 the lie to Mr.. Har-
riman. he sought by refusing TO an
sweI' to save that gentleman the hu-
initiation of the details.
Just the little matter of Ryan and
Hartman Is, characteristic of the in
vestigation and illuminating in itself.
Nj. Hartman had testified at q
former hearing that he had never made
any effort to purchase Mr.. Hyde's
stock in fact, that he had advised that
young man to hold on and he would
help him do it. According to the in
ference left by Mr. Hartman. both
Hyde and RYAN broke faith when the
purchase was made. the opportunity
for inicu uitv being transferred in the
deed of trust as we'll as the stock for
Mr.. Ryans consideration.
Whereupon Mr.. Ryan comes along
and without heat and in the way of
telling a narrative states the negotia-
tions looking to the Equitable pur-
chase, the anxiety of Mr. Hartman TO
buy. and admitted that Mr.. Hartman
had approached him with an offer to
take part of the stock off his hands.
When asked as to whether or not Mr..
Hartman had threatened hurt to Mr..
Ryan's interests and to stir up legis-
lative investigation if he were not let
in on the deal Mr.. Ryan adopted
new and entirely successful method of
giving the lie and at the same time not
compromising himself.
That question. replied Mr.. Ryan III
pious pity for the Hartman feelings,
'on advice of counsel / refuse to ans
Wer.'
And there you are, Really. there is
nothing to do about it. What can
one do? One cannot doubt Mr.. Har,
rinan surely. Nor can Mr.. Ryans s
word be questioned. Yet between the
glitter of the diamond studs on their
respective shirts there flashes little
lie as bright as the star of high finance
itself One cannot escape its gleam,
nor can one locate the breast in
which it originates. They are such
honorable men,
In such a dilemma the only safe
course is to play no favorites.