The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-21
BLAME ON TARIFF
Edward II. Hartman Has Some
Ideas on Trusts.
Charges That Protective Tariff
Is Responsible.
MADE INFORMAL TALK
Talked to Visitors in a Conver-
satiOnal Tone.
Denied That He Has Amassed a
Fortune.
Refused to Discuss Proposed
North and South Line.
IADE INFORMAL TALK

Edward H. Hartman. master OF
more than $1,000 miles OF railway
stands with Governor Cummins OF
Iowa on the tariff revision platform.
In an informal talk at the Topeka
club last evening he declared that the
protective tariff was responsible for
the growth of the trusts and corporate
and individual wealth incident there
to; and not the rebate evil.
Mr.. Hartman did not make
speech. in the usual sense of the word.
Rather he talked to those present
much in the same manner as teach
er would talk to a class standing
about him. Mr.. Hartman stood in the
center of the drawing room at the
new home of the Topeka club and
those who were present to meet him
stood about on all sides entirely en-
closing him within the circle. MI
Hartman chose his words with pre-
cision, making his utterances with
NIr. Hartman was in evening dress
as were the major portion of those
present. He IS rather understood man
from point of stature. but is crediteo
with being a giant intellectually and
his achievements certainly pear MIN
good witness to that effect.
Subjects not ordinarily discussed
publicly, surprised many who listened
to Mr. Hartman. AS he spoke ne al
most constantly studied the ngureS IN
the carpet before his feet, and paced
back and forth within the narrow cir
Gle as he made his statements. Or
dinarily Mr.. Hartman is a free and
easv converse tiOnalist, and many por-
tions OF his talk came out smoothly
and without hesitation. but frequently
/ he chopped out his words one at a
time with studied effort to state his
points as clearly, concisely and sue
I ii evident he
desired not to be Tnisun derstood.
He began his recitation by relat-
ing his first VISIT to Kansas and Tope-
/ lxa at was in 1885" he said. short
I " after came in controf of the Union
/ Pacific. I had never before visited To-
+ pelxa. and in fact 1 believe it was the
I occasion of the first time I had ever
actually seen the Union Pacific prop
erty Mr. Brinkerhoff. remem ber
accompanied our train west from
Kansas City. remember the trip
particularly because we backed our
train all the way from Kansas City to
the Pacific coast we did this IN
order that 1 could the better investi-
gate the property as we passed over it.
Big Order OF Cars.
Upon reaching Topeka I wired my
associates in New York to order five
thousand cars You win remembe
that it was at that time that the for
tunes of Kansas had begun to turn
and crops began to look promising. NY
associates in New York wired back
that they thought 1 should wait till
/ got back home in order that we
might talk IT all over before ordering
the cars. had been over the country
and had seen with my own eyes They
hadn't I wired back that they should
order the cars and il they did not ap-
prove [ would take them myself
wish now that instead of ordering
5, 600 cars we had ordered 5O.00O."
Mr. Hartman talks of spending 50
ton Of Gr11 OT
millions,-yes. two or three hundred
millions as ncncha. .a7tly as the average
citizen talks Of spending IS dollars for
suit of clothes. He continued.
"Since ] took hold of the Union Fa-
cific, we have pr3c-;Cally rebuilt tie
entire system at cost of mere tha1
millions on improvements on the sys-
tenn and next year we shall spend 35
or 40 millions more.
Following his talk on Union Pacific
matters Mr. Hartman discussed the is
sues which are agitating the nation at
this time. He sought to minimize his
own importance IN the industrial and
commercial world. He talked Of the
great Accommodations of money in the
hands of few men and presented argu-
ments to justify the course of the men
who are responsible for those fortunes.
He desired to impress in this connec-
ton that Notwithstanding the current
reports to the effect that he was one
of the money kings of the country, he
in reality was not.
Men Amass Great Fortunes.
1T is true" he said, that there
are a few men who have been able to
amass considerable fortunes through
conditions which have arisen and ex-
isted. but it has been but a natural
consequence
However. am not one of them
he declared. I have worked strenu-
ously and have met with a measure Of
success, but you must not make the
mistake of CHASING me as one of the
wealthy men of the country. I have
met some Of them,-know them. and
am associated with some more OF less
and there are still others whom I do
not know, in fact have never seen.
'But / do not grudge these men the
goor fortune which Is theirs
ITO appreciate these things in their
Grafton the remarkable growth and de-
velopment of our country. It has been
marvellous The wealth of the nation
has increased at a rapid rate. and IL is
but natural that some men should pro-
fit from this growth more than others.
Il think that there are no men who
are Weather in proportion to the total
wealth of the nation than there were
% years ago"
Mr. Hartman tnen touched upon
the rate regulation problems. He sees
great danger ahead II 100 much pow
er is vested in the interstate commerce
| commission, and he sounded a note OF
warning. He advised caution
It will not gainsay that there have
been evils i'll the manner in which the
business OF the railroads have been
l fronffr.ad ~. r7ape N-f1aa