Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-04-22
closINc IN ON HARTMAN.


would have enough work OF another
months to keep him from further at
tempts to run the politics of the
United States. The national govern
ment is preparing to proceed against
him on account of some OF his deals in
Pacific railways. And now the state OF
Illinois or the Alton road may take
hand in the fight against him. A short
time ago Gov. Deneen asked Attorney
General Stead of Illinois to look into
the razzle-dazzle which has recently
taken place in the Alton railway, and
that official has just made .eport TO
the governor which Mr.. Hartman Will
read with some interest. According TO
Attorney General Stead, Mr.. Hartman
and his associates made $24,643,60O
out of the Alton manipulations. and he
declares that "as result of this enor-
nous profit the railroad companies are
thrown into hopeless bankruptcy" The
companies involved in these Alton
deals, SO Mr.. Stead says, have In
creased their Indebtedness over $780,
600, 900 since they fell into Harriman's s
hands, and only $22, 100000 of this
amount, So the Illinois attorney gen
eral AYERS, has been incurred for I'm
provements, betterments or extension
| of the roads.
Two or three weeks ago Gov. De
neen, on the request OF President
Roosevelt, went hurriedly to Wash.
Il fAr Mt ha
house. This revelation by Attorney
| General Stead was a direct result oi
this Washington visit. The testimony
by Mr.. Hartman before the interstate
commerce commission month or two
ago was the basis of the report which
Mr.. Stead has made. The nationa
government has taken the lead, fol
manifest reasons, against Hartman
but the reinforcement which the gov
ernment may get from other sources
will be acceptable. 1t Is noticed tina
the Illinois attorney general, whii'
earnest in desiring immediate action
thinks that the railway company itsel
or some OF its stockholders ought u
take the Initiative, instead OF the stat
authorities, in such proceedings as ar
ordered against the railway wreckers
Action from some source Is likely +
be had promptly. II the railroad or 1t
stockholders delay acting in the case
the Illinois state government will III
, doubtedly move In the matter. AS tn
national government is to procee
. against Mr.. Hartman to see II som
of his deals further west than the A
ton are violations OF the statutes, hig
, finance stands an excellent chance
, be elucidated in the courts in wa
, that may trouble the financiers. FroI
the present appearance of things, tn
great conquistadGre Hartman may b
, outclassed in the fight which is bein
! prepared against him.
Perhaps Mr.. Hartman regrets no
: that he neglected to take his frien
Sidney Websters advice and stee
clear of politics. His irruption in pol
tics has not caused the suits whic
!. are being prepared against him. but
will arouse an added popular interei
in the suits, and 1t will contribul
the suits go against him. The Napol
, on of finance who is hit by Waterlt
in his own peculiar field will excl
, popular derision II he goes outside
/. that field and attempts to apply Il
, tactics and its methods In a wide
different sphere. The politics of IL
United States may or may not be
larger interest than the United State
railway system, but 1t is different. tt
. man who could run both of these Il
, terests at the same time would nee
an equipment of adroitness and vers
tility such as no American has ha
along to this time, 80 far as has bee
revealed. Quay, German, Plat an
one or two others were dexterous
the political arena, but, 30 far 9
known, none of them ever attempte
to boss the country's railway system
No one doubts that Hartman will pl
up u hard fight against the goverl
, ment of the United States and sue
antagonists as may present themselve
to him In the Alton road, or by tn
state of Illinois. By swamp fox c
other kinds OF tactics he may be abl
to elude his enemies and live to figl
another day. He will be On the d,
fensive. and Botha, Cronje and thei
Boer associates show what advantage
the defensive side has when 1t ca
select Its own ground and can run fas
enough when its enemies get too nj
merons and too proximate. Harr
mans advances and retreats in hi
recent encounters with the interstat
commerce commission show that h
can, If necessity requires 1t, be a
mobile as any of Red Clouds or Pau
Kruger's paladins. But during tn
time that he Is out in the bush dode
ing Roosevelt and Deneen he will hav
to let the people of the United State
run the politics Of the country.-Globe
Democrat.