Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-07-31
., yer ment Agents Seeking
Evidence on Which to Base
Another Attack
aim TO BREAK BIG COMBINE
Shippers Appear Reluctant to Give
Desired Information-Gouid Declared
to Still Retain Control of His Lines
Loan Arranged Without Sur
renoer.
renuer.

the government are in Chicago trying
to collect evidence to substantiate pro-
ceedngs for the disruption of the Har-
riman system of railroads upon the
ground that the combination is in vlo-
lation of the Sherman antitrust act
For more than week Ralph NJ.
Mckenzie, who did great deal of the
preliminary work in the inves tigation
which the interstate commerce COM
mission made into the affairs of the
Hartman railroads, has been indus
triously working among the big ship
pers with view to ascertaining how
the Hartman combination has been
used, if used at all, to stifie competi-
ton and restrain trade. On Special
Agent Mckenzie's new calling list are
all of the traffic men of the big in
dustries in the city. 1t is not known
with what success he is meeting, but
his investigation is taken as meaning
that the big stick" has again begun
to swing over the Hartman lines.
Traffic Man Consulted.
Among the men who have already
been visited by the special agent are
oscar Bell, traffic director for Graz
&Co. +. r. Bentley, traffic director
for the Illinois Steel company; w. f.
Cooke, traffic manager for the Auto
matte Electric company. and II. Z.
Barlow. managing director for the Chi-
cago Association of Commerce. 1t is
understood that the evidence Is de-
sired for use in connection with
suit to be begun by the government
which will be similar to the Northern
Securities case. which resulted In the
disruption of the Hill roads so far as
holding company is concerned
The special agents work is directed
toward getting information from the
shippers with respect to conditions pc
fore the combination of the Union
Pacific, the Southern Pacific. the Ore
s,on Short Line and the Oregon Rail-
road and Navigation Company and
comparison between those conditions
and the conditions which exist today.
To the men upon whom he has called
Nick emile has not disclosed MS pur-
pose further than TO say that ne IS
trying to collect evidence for use IN
suit to disrupt the Hartman combin-
alton. 1t is fully understood by the
department of justice officials here
that President Roosevelt has not
dropped his fight against the Hartman
combination of railroads.
New Proceedings Likely.
Whether this fight is to be continued
thru the medium of proceedings when
were begun nearly year ago in Salt
Lake City calling in question the right
of the Union Pacific to own and vote
stock in other Hartman corporations
or thru an. entirely new suit is not dis
closed. The fact that Attorney Frank
kellogg. of ST Paul. has paid frequent
visits 10 Washington lately is taken to
indicate thai an entirely new proceed
ing is to be begun along the lines of
rhe report of the interstate commerce
commission upon the Hartman COM
Dination.
The commission in a special report
found that Harriman's ambition was TO
become the master of the transporta-
ton of the entire world and that with
his railroads and his steamship lines
he was even now able to encircle the
globe. 1t was also found that thru his
ownership of stock in the Santa re
road and thru an agreement with Sen
ator Clarke's San Pedro road and thru
the combination of the Southern Pa
cific and the Union Pacific he had
practically become the dictator Of
western traffic to and from the Pa
Cific coast.
Traffic Men Reluctant.
This report has been before the de-
partment of justice for long time,
and ii is understood that special agents
are trying to ascertain what evidence
can be secured and depended upon in
carving to a successful issue proceed
ings for disruption of the combina-
lion. With some of the traffic men In
Chicago, the special agent made little
Jneadway, and all whom he has APP
nroached are said to have evidenced a
reluctance to mix in the affair. His
queries have all been directed to the
features of collision between the Har-
riman lines and of restraint of trade
and competition. The traffic directors
of one or two large companies told the
special agent that they did not see any
difference with respect to competition
before or after the combination of the
Union Pacific and Southern Pacific
railroads.