Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-02
ID DISSOLVE MERGER
Government Will Sue to Smash
 Hartman Railroad System.
ANTITRUST LAW WoLATEO7
Attorney General Bonaparte Will Con- tend That the Union and the Southern Pacific Lines Are Not Competitors, but an Unlawful Combination.

Washington, Jan. 2.-The answer of the administration to the charge that it was responsible for the panic and that recognition of that responsibility has caused or would cause change in its attitude toward corporations is to be made early in the year in the form of suit to dissolve the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific combination, known as the Hartman system The decision in the matter has been reach ed within the last few days, and the expectation now. is that the suit will be filed in Omaha or Kansas City before the end of this month or early in Feb ruary.
 Attorney General .Bonaparte said "that no statement would be issued about it yet" It is understood, how ever, that the proceedings are delayed only by the absence in Europe of one of the special counsel who has been appointed to handle the case. It is not intended to undertake personal probings against E. H. Hartman, the organizer of the combination.
 The government will follow the lines laid down by Attorney General Knox i'll the Northern Securities merger suit, in which he succeeded in obtaining an injunction and the dissolution of the merger The complaint will /allege that the combination of the Union and the Southern Pacific railroads is com bination in violation of the Sherman antitrust law.
 The main reliance of the government will be the evidence adduced by the Interstate commerce commission ill it's special investigation of the Hartman system last winter. The report of the commission has been in the hands of the attorney general for several months, and at intervals during that time it has been rumored that a de- cision to attack the Hartman combi- nation in court had been reached. AL ways heretofore Mir Bonaparte has de- nied such reports. Now, however, it is understood at the department of jus tice that action is about to begin. The difficulty of obtaining decision against the combination is recognized at the department but the officials are. very hopeful of winning.
 The report,.of the interstate- eonr- mercc commission on the joint man agelnent of the Union and Southern Pacific roads declared that nearly one- third of the territory of the United States covered by the two roads was without even a pretense of competition between them. The commission rec commended that the action now about to be undertaken should be commenced to break up the combination. declaring that Mir. Hartman had obtained con trol of practically all the roads west of the Missouri river and that the Union and Southern Pacific roads were paral- Tel and competing lines. the union Of which was clear violation of the law.
 It will be shown by the government that the two roads have the same off cials and agents in the east. and thera is no sign of competition between :hem.
 Attorney General Bonaparte has been studying the evidence obtained by the interstate commerce commis- sion for the last five months. His con clision that there was enough of a case to warrant going ahead and try ing for the dissolution Of the comblna- tion was just in line with the desires of the president. who has approved the decision to begin the action.