The Washington times., 1912-12-12
Mr., MELLEN'S MONOPOLY.


ford railroad. 1t was even then considerable rail
road system and Mr. Mellen was a consderabl
railroad man..
But Charles Sanger Melen was ambitious, tn
men or the influences behind him spurred on tha
ambition and Mr.. Mellen decided that he was &c
ing to own" New England.
In other places and at other times other me-
have been inspired by similar determination.
1t is historically true that they have never sue
.eeded; but If MIR. Mellen is long on railroads he
short on history, and he went anead with his scheme
He acquired the control of subsidiary and com
peting railroads. He acquired the control Of stree
car and trolley systems. He acquired the control o
coastal steamship companies.
To do all that in nine years he expended none
and undertook contingent liabilities which aggre
gated mall about S3O0,0000O0.
To do all that, also he deprecated the value o
the New Haven system by about S30,O00,O0O.
But Charles Sanger Meen was going too fas
to turn aside or stop for triles like that. He mean
to "own" New England and New England could pa
him back later on. He had the job "cinched' o
he thought he had
At any rate when he judged his work as hnishc
he controlled the freight and passenger transporta
ton business Of six of the weathest States of tn
I'n!on.
i proved again the enduring patience and the slo,
wrath of the American people.
About that time Theodore Roosevelt took han
in the game. He was President then. And on Ma
70, 1908, the Attorney General, at the instance o
PRESIDENT Roosevelt, filed suit in equity in the Cir
cult Court Of the United States for the District
Massachusetts, against the New York. New Haver
and Hartford Railroad Company, and others.
The complaint in the suit charged the said rail
road ct al. with combining and attempting to com
bine under one common control the various railroa
and electric railway systems in New England in vic
lation Of the Sherman act"
That suit was not considered Immediately Their
we're the delays SO usual to the technique of ou
equity procedure. The suit had not been heard whe
President Roosevelts term expired
And three months after the Inauguration of Pres
dent Roosepelfs successor the Attorney General o
the new Administration dismissed the suit.
The Attorney General Of the new Administrator
said that there we're no facts to support the sui
And the new Administration was very strong O
facts"
Meantime the Grand Trunk railroad began an es
tension of its system into New England The Rel
for legitimate competitor was clear and convincing
1t anticipated an expenditure of $40O0OOO. Tn
work of actual construction was commenced. Owe
million dollars we're actually expended. And
the midst of that undertaking c. M. Hayes the pres
dent of the Grand Trunk railroad, was lost in tn
wreck Of the Titanic.
Mr. Hayes was succeeded by E. ]. Chamberlin
| E. l. Chamberlin and Charles Sanger Mele
| got together"
And construction work on the extension of til
Grand Trunk into the "cinched' territory of the Ne
Haven was stopped.
Chamberlin says, by implication that this clo
ing down on construction was merely a coincidence
He says that the work was stopped because func
were not available to continue it. He has not sal
that the work will be resumed later on. He does nj
say that it ever will be resumed.
He admits that he has been in several confe
ences with Meen about traffic agreement" B,
he says that no traffic agreement has yet bee
made.
And he exhibits fine contempt for the sugge
ton that he has been either persuaded or compelle
to keep out" of the territory of New Englar
"cinched" by Charles Sanger Mellen.
But that indifference of Chamberlin lacks ti
quality of conviction.
The available facts are against him. The fac
which the Attorney General of the new Administr
tion failed to find so quickly after his appointme
are against him. The facts which impelled Preside
Roosevelt to order the suit against Mellens syste
in May, 1908, are against him.
And it is as inevitable as sunrise tomorrow tn
the "cinch" which Charles Sanger Mellen thought !
had on the total transportation business of New En-
land will be broken by the Government Of the Unite
States.
| But, great deal of trouble would nave bee
avoided and few regulations might have been
little less diminished, had the Attorney General q
cepted the working definition of facts" in the M.
, len case which his predecessor used with such su
cess when he instituted the Roosevelt suits agair
the Standard Oil Company the Tobacco Trust Al