Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-04-10
HARTMAN, SIXTY
WONT QUIT YET
DUTY KEEPS HIM AT IT
Still Too Many Moves. He Soys.
to Fulfill Last Years
Declaration.

would nnd MIN reahy 20 quit tnt
game. but yesterday he told Time.
reporter that there are still too many
moves to be made. He doesn't pro
pose to stop sven to consider retiring
until the complications on the indus.
trial chessboard have been resolved
sufficiently to enable him to see
clearly little distance ahead. Un'
I'll then Mr.. Hartman III inks he owes
it to 40, 900 stockholders and $50, 00C
employees in his system to stay ION
the job.
This definition of his position Mr..
Hartman made in the course Of his
afternoon constitutional along Fifth
avenue yesterday. The reporter met
him coming out Of his house. aud
asked how things looked from Mr..
Harriman's viewpoint Of 80 years.
lacking only a couple of days. 1t was
the railroad man who spoke of the
chess board:
81 would mt undertake to say" said
Mr.. Hartman. "No sensible man
would undertake now to predict what
is going to happen on to make CON-
prehensive statement or present con-
ditions. There are too many moves
yet to be made before any degree Of
stability is reached to make such a
survey possible.
"who is going to make themr''
"You know A. well as 1 do. re-
turned Mr.. Hartman shsrply. 1.-THE
people of this country have got to be
brought to proper appreciation of
tho inter relation between the various
factors in industry. Then they must
see to it that the administration of
law 10 conducted in their interest and
not as matter Of personal caprice. T"
"And you are ssing to stay in the
game until this comes about. Mr..
Hartmann" the reporter aaksd.
Too Busy TO Retire.
"I don't want TO say how long l
shall stay in harness. A year ago,
when the Interstate Commerce Com.
mission was at work, said something
about retiring In another year. Well.
it isn't case of changing my mind.
but of not having had time to think
about retirement. I looked then for
some falling of in business. but for
nothing like what has occurred.
didn't expect to see 80 per cent Of the
decrease that has been realized. Un-
der such conditions there is nothing
to do but to stick until matters get
into competent hands. at least, and
until confidence has bsen restored.
"Just now we are hearing about the
wage problem. Bat do people appre-
ciate that, with given opportunity
for the development of business, the
more we have to pay for capital. the
less there is to pay for wsges9 | am
not referring to the scale OF wages,
but to the amount that we can spend
for wages. And in order to get capi.
tai on reasonable terms wa have got
to have good credit, and credit must
be maintained by surplus earnings.
There is the whole thing in nut
she'll.
"a wrong idea prevails in a good
many quarters about this relationshi I
of capital and labor. We men who
mansge the roads are not the cap
italists. The security holders from
whom we borrow the money are the
capitalists, and they are in partner
ship with the wage earners in trying
to make fair profit out of serving
the bublic. 1t is our duty as manageri
of the roads to preserve the proper
relations between the different fact n
so far as we can. But what becomei
of our efforts when unwiee govern
mentael interference, resulting in sucl
a condition of disturst rs prevails a
present, jumbles up all the factors il
one oonglomerstion?
''Be careful. now, not to confuse tn,
terms. By surplus earnings / do no
mean the payment Of dividends, bu
the ability to earn something beyont
what is required to meet bare charge
and expenses SO in speaking Of tn,
partnership between the wage esrner
and the stockholders, | do not limi
myself to the relations that exist o
that may exist between the corporal.
organizations on the one side and th,
labor organizations on the other.
refer to the Fundamental relations be
tween those who furnish the funds..foi
investment and those who give theii
services to make the investment profit
able.
Industry Upset by Restriction.
1T is quite obvious that restriction
Of business brings about nneConomica
. conditions Fthrouohout tho induaf ri a