Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-03-25
Presidents Anxious to Start Movement to Take FIX tensive Control From the States
LOSSES SUSTAINED
Hartman and Morgan. Wall Street
 Millionaires, Bend Their Knees to
 President Roosevelt to Enlist Support.
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WdSUluSlOU, MdTCu So.-W HttI lHC railroad presidents are now trying to do, in their conferences with Presi- dent Roosevelt, is to lead him into a movement to take away from States the right of extensive control of rail- roads and center this control in the hands of the Federal government, a gigantic power practically eqnaling government ownership.
 Cautiously enough, the President suggested such step in his speech to students of Harvard college, Feb ruary 23. Just how far the President can be induced to go in this direc- ton remains to be developed. It Is an awful, painful howl the railroad magnates are now making, as they bend their knees to the power of the President. Hartman, who has made millions by watering stock of various railroads, is losing some of the mil lions each day by the steady dwin- ding of the values of the stocks in which he is interested. It is difficult for him to sell out if he wanted to. The stock market appears to be on the hog and the public will not take stocks that are offered. J. Pier pont Morgan is another loser of mill lions. So on down the line of the Wall street mfllionaires who have played with railroad property for years as if it were the rails of an old fence
 Seeing the handwriting on the wall, these men beg the President to save them from the storm they know to be government they fear. 1t is the gov ernments of the various states, which have, with steady regularity during the last few months, passed restric- tive railroad legislation and reduced fares to be charged the public for passenger rates.
 When the rate bill was pending ill Congress, these railroad presidents and owners put forward the doctrine that the rights of the States were be- ing interferred with and that Con- gress should turn over 10 the States the making of proper laws. With wonderful unanimity they talked this. The States followed the national gov ernment, and now it is fear of the State legislatures the roads are liv- ing in. They claim they are being ruined by the States.
 In his Harvard speech the Presi- dent stated that "the States can not with justice to both sides practically control the corporations. Honest and fair dealing railway corporations will gain and not lose by adequate Federal control. The States have shown that they have not the ability to curb the power of syndicated wealth, and, therefore, in the interest of the peo- pie, 1t must be done by national ac- tion.'
 This speech of the President fol- lowed one by Secretary Root several months ago on the same line, and now comes Commissioner Harlan, of the Interstate Commerce Commission. who asserts that he believes, under existing laws, the commission has the right to go into the territory of the States and take from them cer- tain privileges they have considered their own.
 A tremendous States rights fight is predicted for the future and the at titude the President will take whether this time in sympathy with the railroads--s watched with im- mense interest