Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-11-09
SEES ROOSEVELT.
President MeIlen Wants Haste In
Probing ALLEGED Railroad Merger.

'NS'NNAN "N''NN "H'lNo ~
Probing Alleged Railroad Merger
Washington, d. C-The department
Of Justices investigation of the alleged
consolidation of yarious New England
railroads, trolley lines and steamboat
companies with the New Haven system
was the subject of a conference at the
White House recently between Presi
dent Roosevelt and President Charles
S. Mellen of the New Haven road.
Mr.. Mellen is a personal friend of
the President, but he had a complaint
to make to the chief executive.
He objected to the government meth
ods in handling the New England
transportation question.
While declaring that he and his as
sociates Vere not violating the law,
Mr. Mellen does not ask that no inves-
tigation be made, but that it be hast
onod, 80 that the railroad and the pub
lie will know just where the alleged
New England transportation monopoly
stands
For months | have been reading in
the newspapers about the New Haven
and other New England railroads be-
ing investigated by the government,
for the purpose Of finding out whether
they are operated in violation of the
Sherman antitrust act and the inter-
state commerce law" said Mr.. Mellen,
after seeing the President. THAT is
all l know about the matter. Neither
| nor anybody else connected with the
railroads has been approached by any
legal representative of the government
or asked any questions regarding the
conduct Of our business. l have never
seen and do not know the attorney
general or any of his assistants.
1--WE are perfectly willing to give
any information we have to the de-
partment Of justice if we are asked.
We are convinced that we are not yio-
lating the law. II We are we want to
know it, If we are not we think the
country is entitled to know it,
"At present we are greatly embar-
rassed by the fact that it is reported
everywhere that our road and other
roads in New England are being in.
vestigated and may be prosecuted. If
so we want the work accelerated. AS
matters now stand suspicion has been
aroused in many quarters against us.
This is unfair and is injuring our bus
mess. 1t ought to be stopped"
President Mellen did not say so, but
it is declared that Senator Lodge
sought to make the alleged merger an
issue in his state and appealed to the
administration to bring about an in
vestigation.
President Mellen did not think it
wise to bring the matter to the at
tention of the President until the close
of the gubernatorial election in Mas
sachusetts.
President Mellen and the authorities
of the road have it is understood, found
some difficulty in securing loans for
Improvements while supposed to be
guilty of violating laws. They do not
wish to be handicapped further, and
will do everything they can to have
the matter settled.
Attorney General Bonaparte was at
the White House about the same time
as Mr.. Mellen, but the two did not
meet. Later Mr.. Bonaparte had talk
with the President, when, it is be-
lieved the New Haven transportation
investigation was discussed.
So far as known, nothing has been
heard here from Boston regarding this
matter since the appointment of
Messrs. Nutter and Kratz as special
assistants of United States District At
torney French to investigate the trans
portation situation. The department of
justice insists that the investigation
was started in good faith, but no in
formation can be obtained as to its
progress or probable outcome.