Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-08-26
Hartman, who is due in New Yo,

hartman, who is due in New York
tomorrow
Everyone may not clearly under
stand just why there should be such
hubbub because Hartman has con-
cluded his trip abroad and is return
Ing home. Hartman has never been
so popular parsonage as TO
1nstill hero worship into the
hearts of the populace He
has not been political leader, nor a
millionaire philanthropist, nor even a
game hunter in Africa. On the con-
trary Hartman has had a reputation
of being out for Hartman first, last
and all the time, and he has emerged
from most of his financial battles with
all the money in his pockets and a
train of sore heads tn his wake that
had been knocked while the battle rag
ed. The explanation of the excite
ment over his homecoming is an ex-
element of the pocketbook. A
healthy Hartman is worth money ID
every holder of stock in a Hartman
enterprise just now, or at least the
Harmon stocks have shown such re-
current symptoms Of depression every
time there has been a rumor of his i'll
ness that the holders of these stocks
have begun to associate Harriman's
good prices with Harriman's good
health, and they are pulling for his rs-
covery from whatever ailment may be-
lay him. Henry Clews in his weekly
banking letter calls attention to the
Hartman situation as follows:
A great deal more Importance is
attached to Mr. Harriman's health
than would be necessary If his secur.
tiles were selling strictly on their mer.
It's But the recent dazzling opera.
lions have so excited the imagination
of the uninitiated, that 1t is difficult
to get at the real value of this grour
of stocks, especially as their valuation
lis SO vitality effected by speculative
holdings of other shares by the parent
company. No one doubts that Union
Pacific and Southern Pacific have
wonderfully developed under progress
sive methods, backed by the marvel
GUS growth of the far west, without
which their present status would have
been impossible. Because of this
growth these properties no doubt have
a magnificent future; but who knows
what Union Pacific will be worth ex.
segregation, or what would happen to
this huge combination, still in its for.
native stages, if it Unexpectedly lost
it's master mind?
The stock market has again been
dominated by the Hartman issues, IN.
favorable rumors concerning his
health causing sharp decline in I'm
ion Pacific, which in turn precipitated
large realizing sales in the general
market. There has consequently been
a good deal CT feverishness at times
and conspicuously unsettled tone, nj
though it cannot be said that the un.
dertone of confidence has been ser.
iously impaired in the general situa
ton.
Mr.. Harriman's health being such a
strong financial factor, therefore, it is
to be hoped that he gets across with
out anything more serious than a
touch of sea-sickness. 1t might be just
as well, however, for some of our 9th
er financial magnates to get into the
game and take a hand in giving a lit
tie backbone to the Hartman proper
ties. Mr.. Hartman cannot hope to
live forever and things might be sc
shaped that Wall street may be en-
abled to struggle along after he is
gone. This is not a one-man country
in other respects, and it should not be
in matters of finance. A financial sit