Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-08-24
ARE We vERGlN0 on "A
RAILROAD picTATcRsHlPg

commands OF the MASTER bekOfe ne
left for Oregon .on a,short vacation
he ala little more rescue work. help
ing the Goulds to save the Wabash
by providing. through syndicate. the
cash To redeem ss,0o0,O00 notes Of the
Wheeling e. Lake Erie that the Wa
bash guaranteed. Mr. Hartman has
said he aid this without any Interior
motives and 10 save bad situation
But those Who know Hartman do not
exclude from Their opinions about this
saving az bad situation that Harris
man exacted his price For that mat
ter nc has y perfect right to do 50,
and there can be no, reasonable OBJ
lection 70 whatever terms he made 10
extend to Gould helping hand, for
there was no pressure brought 10
bear upon him. except 10 be saved
from another railroad receivership
this time for one OF his principal raiif
roads. Mr. Gould could either accept
or turn his back ON the profFered AS:
sistance II was entirely left to him.
The ascendancy OF Mr.. Hartman 10
the position OF the FIRST railroad man
in this country. however, brings for
ward problem serious enough for
deep consideration the problem
whether the concentration OF his SUI
preme power over the affairs OF our
biggest railroads win not lead to a
Dictatorship Of the principal industry
OF this country BY single man.
Is II not worth while TO speculate
on what the outcome might beg Mr.
Hartman Is tyne Of man after the
fashion 81 RooseveIt--yirile. master
ful and when set 10 bis Views win
not brook any opposition. Where
Roosevelt has welded the big stick
IN politics, Hartman will swing a.
mailed hand IN railroad affairs.
That this power Is now already a.
most superhuman Is apparent when
the roads ~ which hts word Is law
are considered. Through the Union
phcinc. Southern Pacific. Baltimore
a Ohio, Erie, Atchlscn, Delaware 4
Hudson, Illinois Central he already
directly controls over $4,000 miles OF
the 100000 miles OF railroads in this
country, His close afiiliatIon with the
STANDARD OIL interests gives his voice
over IN the affairs Of the 81. Paul.
Pennsylvania and the Chicago 4
Northwestern with an aggregate mile.
age OF over $4,000 miles, and indi.
rectly through them IN the Omaha.
Long leland. New York, susquehanna
\ Western, Norfolk \ Western. vanA
dalia. Northern Central, Grand Rapids
a Indiana, West Jersey q Sea shore
and Pun Handle. with more than
10000 miles. with the Goulds az sd.
traps ne will ppeside over the follow
ng roads; International a Great
Northern. Missouri Pacific. wqBash,
Wheeling Lake Erie. Western Mary
land. Western Pacific and Denver.
Rio Grande. comprising nearly $4,000
Miles,
Mr., Morgan. Il 10 understood, has
settled his differences with Hartman.
and the two are now working harmon.
lously Morgan is the only man
whose stature IN railroad Affairs ap-
proaches the Titan,lc proportions o.
Hartman tie dominates IN the poll.
Giles o. the following roads; The Van.
daiia Lines, the Hill roads, Atlantic
Coast Line. New Haven, Boston n
Maine boston & Albany. Reading.
Evansville a Terre Hauts. Ontario a
Western 4 Southern Railway. with a
total mileage Of 10000 miles.
II can be Judged nom the above
that narrlman directly ana Indirectly
shapes the policy Of railroads contrult
Ing $1,000 miles % roads (neariy one-
halt the total mlleagcl. ana Morgan
$4,000 mica: the two together. inai.
rcctly or directly, have the hast say
M how % ran $4,000 miles Of the
200 600 miles % railroads 10 thls coun.
try Outside u these two financial
Colossuses there are 40 Important
railway systems except the Rock u.
; land groaR witch, unless iss financial
: position y considerably strengthened.
" liable b be e0hhled ap BY either
one ot tnem,
imAglne the power these tive men
can vlcla Y Shsg work together llke
! lamha The desiinlea of an army 81