The Detroit times., 1909-04-17
SH|Pj NEEDED TO
FIGHT R.R. TRUST
Joseph H. Call Tells Why Govern
ment Should Establish Line of
Steamers On Pacific.
BY JOSEPH n. CALL.


LOS ANGELES. Cal. April IA
session OF congress and renewed In
the present session by Congressman
McLachlan. of California, providing
for the establishment by the United
States government OF steamship line
OF five vessels Of 5000 tons each to
ply between the Isthmus OF Panama
and Pacific coast ports In the United
States, the steamship line to connect
with the government owned Panama
railroad and thus with New York city
and other Atlantic coast ports.
The deep significance OF this bill
Is understood In California, but the
general public throughout the United
States has little realization OF its I'M
port and necessity.
There exists In this country today
an absolute monopoly In Transports
ton. controlled by the transcont!-
mental railroads, under the guiding
genius OF tAe Rockefeller, Rogers and
Hartman syndicate. generally known
as the STANDARD Oil crowd" which
for several years has. and still does
from time to time. advance rates by
rail and maintain such rates by
wholly suppressing water competition.
The monopoly in transportation III
the United States was partly disclosed
by the report Of the interstate COM
merce commission IN 1907. In the
matteraof consultations and combina-
tons OF carriers, ETC." relating main
ly to the Union Pacific. Southern Pa
ciflc and other roads controlled gen.
orally by r. II. Hartman, or the
Standard Oil Co.
In 1907 the directorate OF the Union
Pacific Railroad Co. contained the
names common to the great insurance
companies having headquarters In
New York city, and, among them, we
find the following: z. II. Hartman,
VIM. G.. Rockefeller, r. s. Lovett. X.
A. Valentine, Henry c. Frick, II. II.
Rogers. w. ID. Cornish. James Still
man. Charles A. Peabody
That report Of the commerce com
mission shows that in 1907 the Union
Pacific Railroad Co.. then comprising
something less than 5000 miles OF
road owned or controlled the follow
ing lines OF railroad and steamships:
First-The Southern Pacific Co, In
Guiding the Central Pacific railroad.
and the Oregon-California railroad,
embracing altogether about 5000
miles OF road
Second-Every regular American
line OF trans Pacific steamships oper-
ated out OF Pacific coast ports south
OF Puget Sound. -
Third-The Pacific Mali Steamship
Co. plying between San Francisco
and Panama.
Fourth-The Morgan line of freight
and passenger carriers, operating be-
tween New York city, Havana, New
Orleans and Galveston.
Fifth-The Illinois Central sysem,
comprising about 5000 miles OF road.
Sixth-The San Pedro, Los Angeles
4 Salt Lake road, known as the Clark
road. comprising about LOO miles
Seyenth-The Chicago & Alton
road: 1000 miles.
The report referred to also shows
that in 1897 the Hartman syndicate
had acquired very large Interests In
the following systems, which public
proceedings and reports show have
been extended 10 controlling In.
terest:
Eighth-The Baltimore & Ohio: A.
900 miles.
Ninth-The New York Central &
Hudson River system.
Tenth-The Oregon Short line.
Eleventh-The Chicago, Milwaukee
& St Paul; 1000 miles.
Twelfth-The Chicago & Northwest
ern railway. about 1000 miles.
In addition to the railroads and sy5.
n a
and influence OF the Hartman syndi-
cate extends into many other lines
and systems, SO that It may be fair
" said that the Hartman system
dominates the commerce between the
Atlantic and Pacific and between the
great lakes and the gulf
II is absolutely necessary to adopt
measures to fight the railroad mon
opoly which violates the law while
congress is inactive in this respect
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