New-York tribune., 1908-08-04
HARTMAN In CHICAGO
Not in Mergers to Make Money, but
10 lStraighten Things Out.

Cbicaro aur s--rhsre is to be no abandoning
Of railroads is there to be any combination OF
railroads overnight What has been done has
been undertaken solely with the purpose or saving
a bad financial situation.
Edward H Hartman said this last night while
discussing the deal whereby a syndicate of bank
ers recently took up 100000 in short term notes
of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad The inter
view took place at Evanston whittier his private
car had been switched in effort to avoid pub
ncity Instead OF entering Chicago, the car was
transferred on the southern outskirts of the city
10 the tracks of the Chicago & Northwestern
Railroad and by that management sent TO Evan
ston where It was eidetraoked- Railroad en-
ployes were bound TO secrecy but one OF them told
OF the presence of Mr.. Hartman, and after ne had
been discovered consented to discuss recent de-
velopnents in the railroad world.
What have done has not been for the purpose
Of making money" he said, but simply because
matters becoming tangled. and 1t became
necessary to try to make bad situa-
ton better of do not believe that it would
be a good thing for the country generally II more
railroads should go into the hands Of receivers and
SO we are doing what TO prevent this IN
the interests sef-preservation. That is all there
is to It
In fact things have become complex that I
scarcely know where I am So I going to the
siskiyou Mountains to think the situation, and
when I come back may be able TO talk intelli-
gently concerning the future
But in the meantime I should like to have It
understood that there is deep laid plot back Of
It all. but that the deal regarding the Wheeling
Lake Erie notes simply transaction made
necessary to railroad and thereby benefit all
other roads alike.
VIII the Erie gain an entry into Ptttsburg over
the tracks Of the Wheeling & Lake Erie7' he
asked.
st do not know anything about that. My interest
Erie is the my interest in the other
affair. that of making things better In general"
What effect viii the change in condition have
upon the proposed Gould outlet to the sea?
oh fancy that there is good deal of moon
shine in that but do not know There is no tell
ing what the effect will be- but we hope that 1t
Will be for the general good"
Mr.. Hartman asked why the transconti-
mental roads had decided to out of the Oriental
trade.
The Oriental business is largely sentimental"
he replied. THE hope Of building up a large
Asiatic trade through the Pacific ports Of the
United States has been largely a dream, and 1t has
turned out to be to a great extent fake. 1t was
not my dream, for I have been familiar with con-
ditions in this regard from the first The Inter
state Commerce Commission has ruled that the
roads must do certain things in connection with
that trade, such as publishing the inland proper
tons OF their export rates and their dealing with
tramp steamers. We believe that there Is not
enough of business 10 warrant our taking any
chances of injury to inland or domestic bust
ness
What will be done with your ships that have
been engaged in the Oriental trade?''
We'll. we have been carrying mostly air IN those
boats. and suppose that can continue TO do So
The japanese would like to control the Pacific
trade, and eventually they may.
Mr.. Hartman declined discuss politics
Turning TO business conditions, Mr. Hartman
predicted Improvement.
The outcome depends largely upon what the
farmers are producing" he said. Financially the
agricultural interests IN excellent condition
The labor market IS also favorable for them, and
they ought to produce great results"
Mr.. Hartman held conferences to-day with vari-
GUS heads Of railroads in which he is interested.
The conferences which were held at the Chicago
headquarters of the Hartman lines IN the Mer-
chants Loan and Trust Building, were attended by
J. c. Stubs traffic director; Julius Kruttschmidt.
director Of maintenance: S. NJ. FELTON,, president
of the Mexican Central Railroad, and E. P Ripley,
president of the Santa Fe system At luncheon az
president Of the Illinois Trust and Savings Bank;
Marvin Hughitt president OF the Chicago & North
western Railroad, and several officers of the Union
Pacific To reporters 10 whom he talked before
going TO the club Mr.. Hartman declared he was
opposed TO the Hepburn bill any railroad regu-
lation. unless II carried, with its provisions for
publicity and regulation, protection for the railroad
companies.
The Hepburn act in itself would not be harm
full" said Mr. Hartman, had it been coupled with
some legislation for protection as well as regula-
ton. This I stated to the President as far back
1906 I Mr.. Taft about il that same
year I then that I favored regulation and
publicity. If coupled with protection so per
movement Of traffic along the lines of least
resistance and least cost This be accomplished
only by cooperation between the railroads the
government Unless the government is willing to
grant one It should not enforce the others"