Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-03-18
HARTMAN AND
 THE BIG ST|Ck His Attitude Toward the Government and the Attl- tude of the Government Toward Him.
EXPECT NO TROUBLE
Prolonged Legal Fight, With End Seriously in Doubt. Will Result Senator Spooner of Wisconsin Will Represent the Railroads.
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 Washington, D. C., March 16.-Ed ward II Hartman is endeavoring tt ward off blow of the "big stick few months ago he grasped every thing that came his way with an 1roI hand. He would take few people into his confidence. He would have nothing to do with the public. Ht refused to talk to the newspapers. Ills business was nobody's business bu' his own, and he declined to discuss Il for publication. He would not mind the Handwriting on the wall Whlcn indicated clearly what public sentl- ment was. He could not be persuad- ed that he was running afoul or the Government and was likely to De brought up with a round turn
 Now it is different He is Wiling to talk with apparent frankness to the newspapers. He realizes-or say he realizes-that the American pubic Is entitled to know something or what he is doing in the control ot the great railroad properties which ne has acquired. He discusses the rail- road situation frankly with the Inter- state Commerce Commission and seeks an interview with the President in the belief that the Government and the railroads ought to reaeh a common understanding that Will avert much trouble.
 While MT. Hartman is concerned personally very seriously with the attitude of the Government toward him and his properties, the real tro'l- b,e has gone beyond the Government. It is not the attitude of the natlonal Goyernment-th President and Con- gress-that is giving Mr. Hartman and other railroad magnates so much concern just now, as it is the attitude of state Legislatures, of city councllS and boards of aldermen and of state' county and municipal authorities generally. The situation almost thre" Wall street into a panic and had panic been precipitated there it might have spread to the entire country.
 Railroad magnates, including j. p. Morgan and Mr. Harriman' nave indicated that they do not appre- bend very serious trouble from the attitude toward the railroad sltu- ation of the national adminlstra- ton. The president has said to them frankly that if they obey the laws they need have no apprehen- sion. That they have promised to do. But the end is not there.
 "Throughout the country sait an official of the Interstate Com merce Commission, "a sentiment has grown up that the railroads must be brought to time. That sentiment, which amounts almost to hysteria, has developed from the long-continued discussion of the railroad freight law. It has taken the form of a reduction of passen- ger rates and legislatures through out the country are enacting laws requiring two-cent fare within their borders. In the more sparse ly settled sections of the country such laws will work hardship on the railroads. In fact, some rail- road officials have told me that their roads could not stand the pressure of two-cent fares. What the result may be nobody can tell"
 It is known that the railroads will resist, in many states. two-cent fare laws. This resistance will be manifested particularly in the Southern and Western states. The roads will attack the constitutional ity of the laws, holding that they are confiscatory The roads main- tain that they cannot operate at two-cent rate in thinly settled sec ions of the country, without great loss.
 The probability is that the con- ditions will result in a prolonged legal fight with the end Seriously In doubt. It is understood that John C. Spooner, of Wisconsin, who recently resigned from the Senate will represent some of the rail- roads in their contest against two cent fares.
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