The Washington herald., 1907-06-08


the Entire Antitrust Programme.
Conference Lasts Until Midnight.
An important conference was held at
the White House last night for the pur-
pose Of enabling the President TO deter
mine whether prosecutions should be in
stituted against +. II. Hartman and his
associates in the management of his rail-
way interests for Violating the law to
prevent combinations in restraint of trade.
No definite conclusion was reached by Mr..
Roosevelt and those with whom be sought
counsel.
II was agreed that more complete and
more comprehensive report Of the evil
dence involving the Hartman railway
combination and manipulation was ueces-
sary to enable the President 90 determine
a course Of action. The Interstate Com
merce Commission, (which is divided on
the subject Of prosecuting Mr.. Hartman
will prepare its case and submit IL to the
Attorney General who will consider il
and then report his conclusions 20 the
President.
The following official statement was
given out at the White House when the
conference adjourned. shortly before mid
night:
The conference was held for the
purpose Of affording ample discussion
concerning the matters which have
been under investigation by the Inter
state Commerce Commission. The In
terstate Commerce Commission has
not yet formulated IT'S report, and all
the discussion was Of a purely pre-
liminary kind. After a report has
been made. the Attorney General will.
OF course, carefully consider .t
The discussion was devoted almost ex-
clusyely 20 the allegations against Mr..
Hartman and his associates. No definite
conclusion 20 prosecute or not % prose
cute vas reached. Il was decided that
the matter Of proceeding against Mr..
hartman and his combinations should
be left to the Department Of Justice and
the Interstate Commerce Commission for
further consideration
The conference adjourned shortly before
midnight, after 10 had been in session for
nearly three hours While the discussion
was in progress rumoTs were ad0at that
criminal proceedings would not be brought
against Mr.. Hartman. IL was said that
the evidence which he had given iu the
Northern Securities case and the Alton
case with reference % his railroads could
not be used against him, and that Ee
would be immune from individual prose
Cuuon.
Many Rumors AfioHt.
Reports were in circulation also thati
the government officials concerned could
not see how strong case could be made
out against Mr.. Hartman on account OF /
the Southern PaCihc-Sau Pedro traffic /
agreement for the reason that the agree |
ment had been abandoned and 10 was open
70 question whether the arrangement be- /
tween the two roads extended 20 any
traffic outside the State Of California /
These reports did not emanate from the /
conference room, however. They We're I
based on remarks made by individual /
conferees before the conference was be /
gun.
Much interest was attracted 20 the l
conference, the objects of which had be
come known i'm advance II was gen /
'lflttf rtAll4liAAEA riilt4E lltN@f aware OF |
the Presidents purpose that the confer /
ence would have a momeutous bearing \
upon the anti-Corporation policy Of the I
administration knowledge that differ 4
enCes of opinion existed among the Pres
dents councillors as to the advsabllity
or wisdom Of institutng proceedings
against some Of the accused combinations
and particularly against railroads con-
trolled by Mr. Hartman. served to in |
crease the curiosity Of the puSuc IN last .
nights exchange Of views.
The greatest interest i'm he conference /
was manifested. perhaps, IN the question
involved in the proposed prosecution Of /
Mr.. Hartman as an individual on Grim
inal charges growing out of his railway
and the fact that certain
Federal officers were oUtspoken In the
declaration that some prominent finan-
cier should he put in Jail as an example
to violators Of the Federal ant. .trust law,
has made most people anxious to learn
the outcome.
Those Present NJ Conference
The conference was begun at o'clock.
In addition to the President, those who
attended il We're Mr. Root. Secretary of
State; Nir Taft. the Secretary Of War:
Mr.. Cortelyou, the Secretary of the Treas
ury: Mr.. Bonaparte. the Attorney Cen
eral, Mr.. Garfield the Secretary Of the
Interior; Mr.. Knapp. chairman Of the In
terstate Commerce Commission: Mr.
Lane a member of the commission. and
Mr.. Kellogg. the Interstate Commerce
special counsel i'm the Har-
riman inquiry.
Among the cases upon which Executive
decision as to procedure were deferred |
until last night are those involving
charges of combination i'm restraint of
trade against the international Harvester
Company. the so-Called harvester trust
and the American Tobacco Company
known as the tobacco trust 1t was OK
pected that evidence collected against
what is commonly called the lumber trust
would be given consideration at the CON
ference. In addition to these. the evil
ience collected with the purpose Of show
ing that railroad companies entering the
otuminous coal fields Of the eastern part
Of the United States had entered into an
Illegal combination TO shut out competf-
ion of other railroads was at hand
". F. sims United States district at
orney at Chicago was in Washington
Turing the day consulting with President
toOSeNelt ana oHlclalS OF the Department
IF Justice In regard 10 antitrust prose-
'utions now pending or about to be in
itituted by the government The Federal
grand jury win meet In Chicago early
leXt week and the district attorney is
expected 20 submit evidence which he {
lopes will cause indictments to be found
against at least one or two corporations.
The International Harvester COMPANY
@ unid IN lao pmoup Tho 00rDorof fiore
gainst which evidence will be submitted