The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-18
Union Pacific Magnats Talks To Reporters About At-
 Jacks on Railroads
tLE' TON OF DIRECTORS
 IS AGAIN POSTPONED
Three Men Are Locked In a Room Counting Illinois Central Proxies
 and Nothing Can Be Done
 Until They Get Through.

Chicago, October 17.-Until three men, who are locked in room, assiduously counting proxies. are able to report to the stockholders of the Illinois Central road, there will be no election of directors. Twice today the stockholders assembled, only to be told that the proxy inspectors were not prepared to report. The final adjournment was taken shortly after 3 o'clock in the afternoon and carries the meeting over until o'clock tomorrow aft ernoon. The attorneys for MT. Hartman, who have all along been anxious to push matters to a speedy conclusion, chafed sorely under the delays imposed by the proxy inspectors. When it was evident at the morning meeting that the commit tee would not be able to report, MT. Cromwell went to Judge Edgar Farrar, who represents MT. Fish, with the propo- sition that all the proxies should be thrown upon table in the general meet ing and that conflicting proxies should be thrown out This would have killed all the revelations that have been made and the proposition was promptly de- clined by Judge Farrar. Mir. Cromwell expressed himself as anxious for a show down." The Fish faction, however, de- clined to consider the plan for moment and MT. Cromwell was forced to ac- quiesce in the delay.
 Hartman Talks Freely.
 While the meeting was waiting for some further word from the committee, in or der to determine the time to which the adjournment should be taken, Mr. Harri- man picked up his chair, and carrying it to the end of the press table, sat down with the remark:
 T. f think you gentlemen can do more to settle this railroad situation than any body else
 When asked for an explanation, he said:
 You can do it by refusing to print one side of a proposition until you have seen the man on the other side, and let him have his say at the same time. l am sick and most of the men are also sick of the continued attacks made on the railroads. When charges are made against a railroad the proper thing to do is to refrain from publishing them until the party bringing the charge and the representatives of the railroads have had q conference with representatives or the press present. As such things are now run the charges are printed in the
 
 impression, because the railroad side of the question is not given at the same time It is the first impression that counts. Very often railroad is not able to make reply for several weeks after the charge has been brought, and the denial is not then noticed because the matter is no longer fresh news. The way to settle such things is to get to- gether at the outset and let the charge and denial go before the public at the same time.
 This would do away with much of the i'll feeling that is now created against the railroads.
 Violation of Law.
 An instance of where the Southern Pacific was guilty in a technical sense ! of the violation of the law and was, in fact, entirely guiltess. is found in the trouble we had when the Colorado river Nbroke over it's banks.
 We spent millions of dollars in fore ing the river back into it's channel. It was too big job for the govern nlent to tackle and we had to do it ourselves. The Colorado Development company, which did the work. although we paid the bill asked for a rate on the material which was to be used. The Southern Pacific quoted to the company the same rate it charged against itself for the transportation of its own supplies. This was diff ferent rate from the only legally established for the handling of such stuff. We were therefore gully of violation of law in fact but we were entirely guiltless in spirit,
 Many times charges have been brought against the railroads which could be as easily explained as in this case. It is only because the explana- tion is not allowed to be promptly given that so much ill feeling is cre- ofa oir.cf fho 6 c
 Nothing Definite Planned.
 When asked if he had proposed this plan to other railroad men, MT. liar riman said he had not, that he decided to feel them out the proposition before doing so. He might take action he said withoin two three mouths, but was not positive just what he would do.
 Before it was definitely announced that the proxy committee would not be able to report the attorneys on both sides were somewhat startled by the suggestion that the transfer books of the company were open. When the stockholders meeting was originally called it was not thought that it would last over one day. and the announce lnent was made that the books would be open again on October IT. After a hasty conference it was decided that there was no way in which the books could be closed today and it was therefore decided that they should be allowed to remain open until 3 o'clock in lthe afternoon. when they were again closed until next Tuesday at II A. m It was agreed between the att torneys that no effort should be made on either side to purchase stock dur ing the day.
 At the afternoon meeting, which lasted but few moments 1t was at first proposed to take an adjournment unfil 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. The proxy committed, however. de- clared that it was in no way positive that it would be ready to report at that time Upcn motion of MT. CronI- we'll the meeting then went over until o'clock in the afternoon.
 The attendance today much smaller than yesterday and only a few people were present when the final