The Washington times., 1906-11-06
The Illinois Central.

The passing of the Illinois Cen
trail as an Independent railroad sys-
tenn, and its final annexation To the
Hartman group, is "a matter Of
large significance, both to the ter
ritory il touches and TO the tinau-
cial interests that have SO long
maintained il as an independent
property. While it was not SO i'm.
portaut "A system as the Burlington,
vet it was mucR similar TO that road
in the fact that from its beginning
1T had been operated as "a transport
tation rather than a stock-jobbing
enterprise.
The Central is one of the oldest
railroads in Illinois, built as a pio-
neer, under contract with the
State by which : per cent of the
gross earnings of the main line in
the State are to be paid 10 the State
esrever. It's terminals in Chicago
are by far the most valuable con-
trolled by any road, and its subuF-
ban service there has been one of
the greatest reyenue-producing fea-
lures of its business. The original
lines in Iowa were built under a
great land grant from the Govern
ment, on terms which, as well as
those of the Illinois charter, viii
very likely be Investigated with
care to determine if they have been
violated by the remarkable coup
which gives the Northumberland
Oil group control of the property.
The Illinois Central has been a
regular Garner of substantial divi-
dends. II has always been a devel-
oper; first in Illinois. then in Iowa,
still later in the South. Indeed, it
may fairly be said that the loss of
Stuyvesant Fish viii he a real blow
to the lower Mississippi valley re-
gion. The statement now SO freely
made by financial writer's that the
Illinois Central viii doubtless be
better railroad under Hartman
than under Fish. Will be accepted
reluctantly by people who know how
much Mr.. Fisl, has accomplished in
the last fifteen years for the de-
veloping, the vitalizing, and the
energizing of Mississippi, Louisiana,
and other Southern States. Like
wise the suggestion, as if il were
something new and novel, that the
Illinois Central is TO be made a
factor in handling the great traffic
between the gulf and the lake re
gion, which is To be developed when
the Isthmian canal is finished, APP
peals TO the risibles OF people who
know how long and hard and earn
estly Stuyvesaut Fish labored to
make the canal possible, at the very
time when Hartman and the other
transcontinental interests were bit
terly opposing it,
Mr.. Hartman does not love com
petition so well that he is going to
buy railroads in order to get it.
The Lake-Gulf route win be a pow
erful competitor of the transconti-
mental roads when the canal is in
operation. Mr., Hartman wants the
Illinois Central in order TO assure a
friendly community of interest he
tween the two routes soon to be-
come rivals. That means in sub
stance that the great middle West
which should get the benefit of
lower rates after the canal is open
ed, will be denied them. The trans
continental roads will get control
of the Gulf route if possible. Har-
riman has secured the most impor-
tant factor in it. Competition will
be hampered. The benefits of the
canal viii be largely neutralized, so
far as concerns the great region
that ought TO gain most by it.