The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-04-04
ARGUMENTS BEGIN IN
THE HARTMAN CASE.

Washington April 4.-The crucial
point in the Hartman investigation
was reached today when attorneys for
the railroad mag1ate appeared before
the Interstate commerce commission
to argue the question as to whether
the Union Pacific and the Southern
Pacific are technically parallel and
competing lines. Upon the decision
of the commission on this point hinges
the possibility of prosecution by the
government for violation of the Sher-
man antitrust act. If the answer to
this question is in the affirmative, the
attorney generals Office will likely be-
come a scene of activity; if in the ne
gative, Mr.. Hartman may breathe
more freely, confident that there will
be 10 governmental interference"
with the conduct of the two great
roads of his system, at least for the
time being.
Counsel for Hartman declares that
the Union Pacific and the Southern
Pacific are in no sense competing lines
being widely separated an doccupying
entirely different fields. They decla>-
that nothing can be found in the re-
lations of the two roads resembling
the Hill merger of the Northern Paci-
fic and the Great Northern, which was
dissolved by the government as the
result OF q suit OclOTS luS O1lltcO
States supreme court
1t is not likely, however that the
members of the commission will share
the opinion of Hariman's learned at
torneys. Much evidence has already
been presented to show that the roads
in question. il their conduct and man
agement if not in geographical prOx-
unity, constitute an illegal combina-
ton and as such open to prosecution
under the terms of the Sherman law.
1t is possible that before the present
hearing closes the counsel for Harri-
man will be allowed to present addi-
tional testimony, but this is optional
with the commission. Chairman
Knapp has stated that if Mr.. Harri-
man desires to go on the stand again
he will be allowed to do so.
Great Railroad Trust.
Evidence taken by the commission
at various cities throughout the cou1-
try tends to show that the Union Pa
cific and the Oregon Short Line, ac-
tually one company, have been trans
formed into a great banking system
and are no longer mere railroads. The
effect of this banking system has been
the government alleges. to practically
eliminate competition between South
ern Pacific and the Union Pacific
Further, through the purchase by this
banking system OF Atchison, Topeka
a Santa Fe stock, competition by tnat
road has been effectually wiped out;
aad similar means have been used to
stifle competition by the important
tributary lines of the transcontine7tal
roads The results, IL the contention
of the government is sustained. that
the shippers of California, although
connected with the east by three great
supposedly independent railroad sys-
TENS, are actually at the mercy fol
Hartman
The Union Pacific and the Oregon
Short Lac combined extend across
the continent to Portland. Oregon.
where they connect with a steamship
line to the orient As a banking sys-
tenn, they control As per cent of the
stock Of the Southern Pacific. which
extends from New Orleans to San
Francisco, Portland and Ogden. with
n steamship line from San Francisco
to the oriental countries. The evil
de1ce adduced at the hearings tends
to show that prior to the Hartman
resiu the Southern Pacific and the
Unioa }Ecif1c were actual competitors
fh< zoe that time there nas been
M Ttion whatever Despite
I'd roads having same ex-