The Washington times., 1907-03-18
RAILROAD TALK
At WHITE HOUSE
BY Mr.. YOAKUM
Perhaps He Told PreSi-
dent Where Hartman
Got Off in Furry.

b. F. Eoakum. chairman Of the board
Of the Rock Island system, was a caller
al the White House today and spent
an hour with the President.
Mr.. Yoakum was the first of the big
men Of the railroad and financial world
10 start the fashion in piIgrimages 10
the White House. He came 10 see the
President even before J. Pierpont Nor
gan, and -alked at that time OF the gen
eral question Of Government relation
10 the n Iroads and 10 business in gen
eraL HIS return today, in advance Of
the announced engagement of President
Charles S Mellen. Of the New Haven
road who is 10 moet the President TO
morrow afternoon, caused much interest
and speculation.
Mr.. Yoakum would not talk OF his
conference with the President, except
10 admit that he was not in Washing
ton merely for the sake Of enjoying the
sunshine. and TO deny that his coming
has to do with any contemplated prose-
cutiou in connection with the Alton Il
nancing.
Did Hartman Loser
There is Il strong impression that GIr
NOal5um may have had something in
teresunE to tell the President about the
net results Of the recent Wall Street
furry. There has been nothing yet
like an announcement of how the great
figures in the street emerged from mat
experience. Report persists that HarrI-
man was compelled in the squeeze 10
unload some Of his big holdings. in or
der 10 protect others. That Hartman
may turn up minus his big block Of
Baltimore and Ohio. and that he may
even be found 10 have sacrificed a big
slice of his Southern Pacific IS consid-
cred quite within the range of posi-
bility: but as to this everything is yet
speculation.
The Rock Island group is rated among
the most bitter opponents OF Hartman,
and has been credited in some quarters
with a leading part in the great bear
raid through which Hartman suffered.
But whether Mr.. NOakum came 10
Washington % tell the President the
real casualty list OF the late engage
ment is only )ne Of the surmises.
Band of Converts
President Nel;.n is distinctly one of.
the Morgan group Of railroad managers.
He Is also one Vf the most interest
ing converts 70 the policy of Govern
ment regulation, for he was bitterly Cp-
posed to il when the President was
working for it n year ago. though re-
Gently he has given assurance that he
thoroughly believed in it.
1t is believed that Mr. YO1Sum, Mr..
Menen. and probably other railroad
men. will make plain, in conversation
with the President. that it is now neces-
sary that public confidence in railroad
securities be firmly established. so that
railroads may be able to get money to
carry forward their projects Of eXten-
sion and betterment. Recently some of
the big Western systems have an
nOunCed abandonment of extensive
plans of expansion. giving ys the reason
that money was costing too much. The
railroad men have been insisting that
State regulations are getting too
onerous. They have found some evil
dence that the President sympathizes
with their new view that State regula-
ton ought to give way 10 Federal. and
this viii be pressed upon the Chief
Executive with much vigor from this
time forth.