The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-04-15
BY JOSEPH HI. CALL.


A bill was introduced late in the
last session of congress and renew
ed in the present session by con-
gresham McLachlan of California
providing for the establishment by
the United States of a 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 govern
ment owned Panama railroad and
thus with New York city and 9th
|er Atlantic coast ports.
The deep significance, of this
bill is understood in California.
but the general public throughout
the United States has little reali-
cation of it's import and necessity.
There exists in this country to-
day an absolute monopoly In
transportation, controlled by the
transcontinentaI railroads, under
the guiding genius of the Rookie
Teller, Rogers and Hartman SYN
dictate, 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 compete
ton.
The monopoly in transportation
In the United States was partly
disclosed by the report of the In
terstate commerce commission in
1907, in ''the matter of cOnsOlida-
tions and combinations of carriers,
etc." relating mainly to the Union
Pacific, Southern Pacific and other
roads controlled generally by e. H.
Hartman, or the Standard Oil Co.
In 1907 the directorate of the
Union Pacific Railroad Co. con-
tanned the names common to the
|great insurance companies having
headquarters in New York city,
and, among them we find the fol-
lowing: e. H. Hartman, VIM. G..
Rockefeller. r. s. Lovett, r. A.
valentine, Henry G. Prick, H. H.
Rogers. w. D. Cornish, James
|Stillman, Chas. A. Peabody.
That report of the commerce
commission shows that in 1907 the
Union Pacific Railroad Co., then
comprising something less than
5000 miles of road. owned or con-
|trolled the following lines of rail-
road and steamships:
First-The Southern Pacific
Co., including the Central Pacific
railroad, and the Oregon-Califor-
MIA railroad. embracing altogeth-
er about 5000 miles Of road.
Second-Every regular Ameri-
can line Of trans-Pacific steam
ships operated out Of Pacific coast
|ports south Of Puget Sound.
Third-The Pacific Mail Steam
ship Co., plying between San
Francisco and Panama.
Fourth-The Morgan line of
freight and passenger carriers,
Operating between New York city,
Havana, New Orleans and Calves
ton.
Fifth-The Illinois Central sys-
item, comprising about 5000 miles
|of road.
Sixth-The San Pedro, Los An
|geles and Salt Lake road, known
as the Clark road, comprising
|about HOO miles.
Seventh--The Chicago & Alton
road; 1000 miles.
The report referred to also
shows that In 1897 the Hartman
Syndicate lad acquired very large
Interests in the following systems,
which public proceedings and re-
ports show have been extended to
"a controlling interest:
Eighth-The Baltimore & Ohio;
1000 miles.
Ninth-The New York Central
and Hudson River system.
Tenth-The Oregon Short Line.
Eleventh-The Chicago, Mil
waukee q 81. Paul; TOGO miles.
fTwelfth-The Chicago & North
western railway, about 1000 miles.
In addition to the railroads and
systems above named, the stock
holdings and influence Of the Har-
riman syndicate extends into many
other lines and systems, 90 that it
may be fairly said that the Harri-
man system dominates the COM
|merce between the Atlantic and
Pacific and between the Great
Lakes and the Gulf.
During tho past ten years, while
these gigantic organizations were
boing communicated, there romain-
ed upon the statuteP Of the Unit