Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-11
Discussion Relates Entirely to Find
ing Basis for Negotiations.
IS NONCOMM1TAL
His Attitude Will Depend Upon PrOpO
sition Railroads Make.
TASK FOR RAILROAD LAWYERS
Must Correct Evils Complained of or
show Government Officials
that They Are Entirely
in Error.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1O.-Negotiations
have begun lokking to settlement ''out
of court" of the governments suit for the
dissolution Of the merger of the so-called
Hartman lines, brought under the pro-
visions of the Sherman antitrust law.
Rumors Of such negotiation had been cur
rent for some time past. Today they took
concrete form at conference at the White
House granted by President Taft at the
solicitation of the railroad officials.
1t can be stated authoritatlvely that no
decision of any sort was reached. 1t was
said that today's conference was the first
of series of meetings which are to be
held for the purpose OF determining upon
what ground If any, the representatives
Of the Hartman lines and the government
can meet for an adjustment Of the sltua-
tion.
Task for Railroad Men.
President Taft has given no intlmation
as to what his attitude will be and his final
determination in the matter, II Is stated,
will depend largely upon the proposition
the railroads have to make looking toward
a compliance with the antitrust law. the
case will not be dropped, it is said, except
upon such terms as will look to cor
rection of the evils complained of In the
government suit, or unless the government
can be shown to be completely In error.
Today's conference was attended by
Judge Robert s. Lovett, president of the
Union Pacific and allied Hartman lines;
Attorney General Wickersham, Frank B.
Kellogg trust buster and special at
torney for the United States in the case
against the railroads; and Former sena-
tor John c.. Spooner and Maxwell Evarts
of New York, attorneys for the Hartman
lines. The conference lasted from shortly
after O'Clock until p. m. None of the
members of the railroad party would dis
cuss the matter in any way.
Attorney General wickersham has taken
no definite poaitcsStn the matter as yet
He went into the conference today open
minded, for up 10 this time he has moi
been called upon to deal with the suit in
any way. No time was fixed for a resump-
ton OF the conference, but 1t probably will
be within a few days.
History of Suit.
The suit against the Hartman lines
which consist in chief of the Union Pa
cific, the Southern Pacific, the Oregon
Short Line and the Oregon Railroad and
|
an inquiry before the Interstate Commercs
commission 1t was during these hearings
that the enormous stockholdings of the
Hartman lines in other railroads first
came to general public attention. Mr.. Har-
rlman himself appeared before the com
mission and was on the witness stand fol
several days. Mr. Hartman, it will b'
remembered, declined to answer a number
of questions put to him and the matter hat
to be taken to the United States circuit
court for determination. Frank b. KellogG
and c. A. Severance of ST. Paul represented
the government in the case, Judge Lovett
now the head OF the vast system Mr.. Harri
man built up, was general counsel for thu
railroads. Senator Spooner and John @
Millburn also appeared in behalf of Mr.
Hartman.
The suit for the dissolution of the combi
nation Of railroads was brought in Sal
Lake City and is pending In the court
there. Testimony has been taken in
number of cities already.