The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-21
Sees Menace in Power
of Railroad Commission.
Says Four Men Are Practically
in Control of All Business.
ONLY A FIGUREHEAD.
Insists He Doesn't Control a
Nile of Road.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Kansas City, Nov 21-E. H. Harri-
mans speech before the trans Missis-
| sippi congress yesterday afternoon fol-
! lows in part:
am going to try to say something
to you that will perhaps make you
think. and maybe gain some friends
among you all, in order that we may
CO. operate because | believe that is
what we have got to do, all of us,
whether we represent corporate inter-
ests or individual interests, whether
professional men or business men, We
going to succeed in eventually bring
ing about what we all desire-a COM
munity in which all interests will be
treated equally and alike.
/, perhaps as much as anybody, rep
resent what the public is believed to be
antagOnistic to at this time-corporate
interests or at least railroad corpora
lions. I have been introduced on sew
of so many miles of railroad more than
any other man in this country. That ]
want to deny. not only do not control
so many thousands miles of railroad
but do not control one mile of rail-
road, and I do not believe in any one
man OF any combination of men con-
trolling the important transportation
lines of this country, or any great ror-
ton OF them.
The organizations of which am part
are made up of IA or Is thousand per-
SONS VINO COnIrOl ana own those pro-
perties. There is no Individual no COM
bination of individuals that could pos
sibly own or control them or does con-
troll them 1t is the stockholders and
the boards of directors who manage
those organizations. While I stand as
their representative and appear to be
the dictator l am not such. I simply
carry out what has been carefully con-
sidered and turned over by many minds
Our contention has been all along
that the Sherman antitrust act, the
original Interstate commerce commits
sion act, the Elkins amendment there
to, gave sufficient power to the govern
ment and to the commission to prose-
cute and correct the then existing
evils. I do not intend to try to defend
the railroads or the officers of the rail-
roads, because believe that the man
agement of the railroads has been
largely due to the antagonistic feeling
that has prevailed against them, but
we hope. gentlemen, to correct, and as
I have said before, to get some cooper
alton among the intelligent minds of
the stable citizens of this country.
What has happened? There has
been an act giving almost unlimited
power to control all business interests
of this country to the railroad commits
sion if they choose to exercise 1t. There
are seYeH2of tn eSeA men, four are ma :
1ority. -Four men really can control
the transportation Interests of this
country if they choose to exercise their
power. What has been done in cor
recting the evils which existed before :?
They have proceeded under the laws
hat existed before the additional pow
er was conferred upon them. They
have succeeded. Not only the COM
mission but the arm of the government
through which the prosecution is con-
Quoted the attorney general, has pro-
ceeded against corporations railroads
and others, and under the power then
had, they have succeeded in bringing
about a very different condition of af-
i h y Or7E
without any additional legislation con-
ferring additional power upon an in
terstate commerce commission or any
other body.
do not pretend to criticise, do not
want to criticise that commission or
any one else. I believe am bound to
believe-that they acted in good faith
when they stated that they could not
bring about any different condition
without additional power. And 1 am
inclined to think that the conditions
which brought them in contact with
the very bodies Of men whom they
were trying to control gave them IN
formation, opened their eyes and let
them see the means whereby they
could proceed to prosecute the very
men whom they were accusing, and
have eventually shown to have been
conducting their business contrary to
the law.
Now. we are in a situation where il
has been suggested that additional
power should De conferred upon the
government. 1 refer to what l stated
last night, the presidents speech at
Harrisburg, Pa. But before any ac-
ton is taken that way by comforting
additional power on any branch of the
government or the government itself,
It seems to me that we should wait
and see what will become of the addi-
tionaI power which has been granted
or conferred to this commission Per-
haps in their proceedings under the
old acts and correcting the abuses
which existed before they may think
it will be unnecessary, for them to act
under the new law. Let us hope that
it will be So But if they do not act
under that law and make a mistake it
will create q condition from which
this country would not recover in a
decade.
Thew have in their hands the power
to regulate and control every business
interest for 1 contend that the trans
portation interests are the ones that
are most vital to all business interests
and all development in this country.
Were it not for the means of transpor-
tation there could be no development,
there could be no communication be-
tween these great cities. st. Louis and
Kansas City and other cities and the
territory between these places.
Now then I think the railroad traffic
men have gotten to understand that
they are not the ones that have made
the rates. I think that W until re-