The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-11-21
Cordial to His Opponent.

cordial TO HIS opponent.
Mr.. Hartman, who had intended to
leave Topeka immediately after de-
livering his own speech. waited pa
tiently until Mr.. Kindel had concluded
when the two men shook hands, and
Mr.. Hartman left the hall to go to
Mr.. Hartman S speech was in part
as follows.
The impression prevails that control
more miles of railroad than any other one
man. That statement is made frcoueutly
/ deny II; it is not true, ] do not control
one mile OF railroad. l do not believe in
one man or any one company controlling vast
interests of this kind. There are fourteen
or fifteen thousand persons who co operate
IN the control OF the railroads and other cor
porations in which I interested. One
man could not do the work and do it right.
We have our stockholders and our boards Of
directors. and they all share in the rcspon-
sibility Of conducting affairs. I appear
as dictator in the published statements, but
] am not. Every important step in our bust
ness is considered by many minds before
any decision is reached,
Attack Recent Legislation.
Last year this congress passed a resolution
antagonistic to the general clomor that in.
creased power be given Ia tho Interstate
Commerce commission in the regulation o;
railroads and other corporations. Your con-
tention that the Sherman antitrust law
and the Flkins amendment gave the commits
sion sufficient power 70 correct existing evils.
But since your congress passed that reSolu
tion tho Congress OF thc United States passed
a measure, which is a law. that gives to
the Interstate Commerce commission almost
unlimited power. The commission is given
the power TO control all OF the railroads IN
this country
do not want TO criticse the commission
l believe it acted in good faith when il said
it needed more power, but, as I said last
night. the President in his Harrisburg speech
indicated that still greater power should be
conferred upon the commission. Now. be
fore any further action is taken, / should
like TO see how the power which exists under
the present law Will be used Perhaps il
may 70, he necessary for the commission TO
| act under the law. If the commission
makes mistake in the use of its power.
| ditions may cnsue from which the business
interests OF this country will not recover in
ten years
Transportation Business Vital.
The transportation business is the most
vital OF all IN the development, OF the coun-
Try NO community could prosper without
transportation facilities. Your success and
the success Of the interests you represent de
Hond largely upon me transportation lines OF
the country. ! think the railway traffic men
have learned By this time tina, they do NOT
make rates, but equalize them. The rates
are made by the communities served by the
railroads. The money centers must he treat
cd alike. You could not disturb rates al This
distributing center without affecting all other
distributing centers: The rates are con.
der the new law tho rates may be controlled
BY political opportunity.
Roads Have Reached Limit.
The railroads have reached almos, the limit
of economy in transportation. II rates arc
20 be lowered the railroads must be ablo to
carry traffic AT less cost than now The
great industrial development in this country
since 500 has been due 70 the fact thar the
owners OF railroads have had confidence in
the communities and the people served In
order 10 develop all sections OF tho country
the railroads have improved their lines and
spent hundreds OF millions for perfection
The railroads must continue 10 improve The
expenditure OF money for railroad improve
mcnt gives other business interests chance
10 expand. II the railroads arc too soon sub
Jccted 10 reduction OF income. where is the
money coming from to develop the railroads
further and 10 develop your intcros,sl
Mr. kindel IN his speech said that
Denver WAS the victim of rate dis
crlminatjon by the railroads. He said
that it cost much more in proportion
TO ship goods from Chicago to Denver
than from Chicago to Omaha. He quot
ed rates on various articles to prove
his assertions. He said that he was
not contending that the rates be low
cred, but that they be equalized He
also said that he had shipped foreign
made, goods from Liverpool via Calves
ton cheaper. by $75 car than he was