The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
Wizard of the Rail Again Dis- cusSes Public Questions
SENTIMENT IS CHANGING
Public Feels More Kindly Toward Rail- roads Than 1t Has Done for Sew eral Years, Declares the
 Magnate.

New York, April 1.-E. H. Hartman reached this city late today to all ap- pearance a revigorated man. after his long combination vacation and business trip over the network of Hartman roads in the west the southwest and in Mexico.
 T am all right now" was his terse and expressive rejoipder to a question as to the state. of his health.
 Retirement! I've not had time to think about it." said MT. Hartman. I'm little tired once in while. but that's to be expected. There's too much work for me to do to think of retirement yet"
 MT. Harrimans special train which came in over the New York Central road halted at Yonkers, just on the out skirts of the city, to take aboard party of newspaper men. Jumping off the rear platform the fnancier, in light overcoat and gray felt hat, greeted the party cordially and readily submitted to the exactions of the pho tographers. The members of his party in fact turned the tables on the visi tors, Miss Mary Hartman, Mrs. Rob ert Goelet and Mrs. George Dixon grouping the reporters on the Yonkers station platform and photographing them, MT. Hartman actively superin- l tending the process.
 In the. library of his private car .:Ardenp MT. Hartman talked steadily 1 all the way on the run into the Grand | Central station, and in the absorption of the moment all oblivious of the trains. stoppage kept on for nearly half all hour after the special he'd reached the terminal.
 Less red tape and more work" was | the motto he recommended as pre- i cept of governmental circles. Elastic ity in expenditures, making the out go fit the income; these are the prin- ciples that ought to rule in govern mental as in private business" he de- clared. "Of course, the government has got to be maintained In dignified and liberal way, but the results achieved should be commensurate with the ap- propriation 1 realize the difficulty of securing continuity in government 1 work, uncertain year to year appro- i priations preventing anything like con- 1 sistent planning ahead in many in- 1 stances. But there could be improve 1 ment over present meth ods." MT. Hartman said he found in the | west and southwest a vastly changed | sentiment toward the railroads. With 1 such sentiment predominant there l would be encouragement for the rail- roads to go ah cad with development work, he thought.
 "The trouble is, however, he said, that changed sentiment has not yet been crystailized into changed laws. The same repressive laws still stand on the statute books and until they are altered there will be no really practicable basis to worn upon.
 sned as to possible wage reductions by the railroads, MT. Hartman said:
 We nave not even considered the mat ter in the offices of our roads and shall not so long as we can afford to pay the present rates. We want the best and most efficient men to be had and we ex- pect to pay them well for their efficient work
 MT. Hartman said that about s2l ,0O0, 900 had already been spent on the Southern Pacific's Mexican line extension, and that rot improbably an expenditure of $5O,0O0,- -GtD altogether would be necessary 10 coniS plete the work
 When asked if he was to become active ly identified with the New York Central. MT. Hartman replied that he was not bothering his head about that matter. Neither had he reached any agreement with the Hill interests in the west, he de- clared.
 Mir Hartman said he would make his : New York city residence his home for the ! present As lo the extent of his business activities in the immediate future, he de- ] clared: T am still drifting, as on my long trip