Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-06
Calm With Which Event Is
Viewed Declared to Be
Superficial Only.
RIVALRY OF FACTIONS
SOURCE OF PERIL
Those Who Threaten Trouble Given
to Understand That Reprisals
Will Be Prompt.
BY w. d. NICHOLAS.

NEW YORK, April 5.-To surface OBJ
servation Wall street gives slight thought
to who will represent the gigantic force
that centered about the personality OF the
late John Pierpont Morgan. In reality it is
desperately concerned. No man now on
the stage can quite fill the bill, and it is
a very live question how matters will be
so shaped as to avoid deadly feuds be-
tween powerful clans struggling and con-
spring for supremacy.
The marvellous and intricate machinery
Of the financial district is believed by
many to be in imminent danger of dis
ruption. No previous situation has been
so full Of dynamite-so alive with merci-
lessly conflicting forces and purposes.
Where there was one ColossaS-one
mighty overlord-there' are a dozen lead
ers of clans and combinations bent on
conquest. Nothing has been before Wall
street in its history half SO important
as a settlement of the terms and condi-
lions of the coming regime. Tariff revi-
sion, currency reform and the scores OF
lesser issues dwarf into insignifcance by
comparison. This is not an idle peace OF
word building. 1t is stern reality.
The developments OF the next thirty
days will probably decide whether the
money trust has been destroyed BY the
death Of its ruling personality, or further
strengthened by the concentration of many
vast interests drawn together by the In
stinct Of self-preseFvation. The open ana
covert attacks that have been made upon
the very foundations of the Morgan cita-
del are reactionary, however, and prom
Use to defeat the designs Of the indiscreet
promoters of trouble. Notice has been
served upon them that violations of the
rules of fair play will be visited with
deadly reprisal. Covert hints OF with
from the Institutions most directly con-
cerned ceased as by magic-they suddenly
became unpopular.
Billions as a Menace.
Visions Of the untold billions Of dollars
owned and controlled by John D. Rookie
Teller, William Rockefeller, H. C. Frick,
James ]. Hill, the Vanderbilt family,
James Stillman, George F. Baker and
their associates. with their string Of
banks and trust companies massed be-
hind and under an endangered fortress,
were impressive In the highest degree.
There was an instant change OF front.
Passion for ruthless action cooled and
now in place of dark hints of implaca-
BILE conflict are heard cooings and proph-
ecies of general Cancellation and cooper
alton. Plans for hostile campaigns have
been apparently abandoned.
But have they? The street is full of
unbelievers-hard-head veterans of long
experience and trained to suspicion and
doubts. These men question the sin
certify of the professions of reverence for
the memory Of the dead king and Of good
win for the heirs and the trustees of his
fortunes and the executors Of his policies.
1t Ii q weird complication. When the
problem will be settled and how Is an
issue of vital concern to Wall street.
Also, how long any unwritten peace pact
will last, and what the guarantee will
be, Upon the duration and sincerity of
q reorganization of Centralized capital
will depend the course of large bust
ness management. VIII the new order of
things command the faith and confidence
of the public. or leave 1t longer a slave
OF uncertainty, unrest and suspicion?
Nothing that has ever confronted Wall
street Is as important as the pending
prospect is for surface calm-bLt the ice
Is thin and full Of air holes.
Shock to the Street.
1t was something of q shock to Wall
street to learn, through the authorized
channels for the dissemination of White
House advance news, that the Presi-
dent had determined to shoulder the en-
tire responsibility of tariff revision on
Congress. instead of becoming q party to
a deal for q ''satisfactory'' law-satis-
factory to specially favored interests The
street had been lulled into the belief that