The New York herald., 1922-05-07
E H. HARTMAN A BIOGRAPHY.
By George Kennan. In volumes.
Houghton. Mifflin Company.


" HE first thought which oc-
ours to the reviewer of the
narrative contained in these
two handsomely printed volumes is
the question whether the personality
portrayed therein deserves so elab-
crate a memoir There is no doubt
the answer must be in the affirm
ative, if the reader is able to accept
Mr. Remnants estimate of Mr.. Har-
riman's character. The man pre-
sented to us in this book is no mere
selfish moneymaker, but financier
of rare sagacity and foresight, whose
chief purpose in life was to manage
the great railroad lines in which his
earnings were invested in such a
way as to make their properties
most serviceable to the public for
whose use and benefit they were pri-
marily designed. If this view be
correct-and Mr.. Kennan makes out
a pretty strong case for it-Edward
II. Hartman was anything but the
undesirable citizen" of President
Roosevelt's indignant rhetoric. On
the contrary, he was patriotic
American who deserved well of the
State.
Assuming, then, that Mr.. Kennan
has appraised his character and am
bition correctly, this biography must
be deemed worthy memorial of an.
extraordinary man. boy who
leaves school at the age of IA, goes
into Wall Street as a brokers' office
boy at salary of IS week, be-
comes a millionaire before attaining
middle age, and gives his native
State a million dollars and ten
thousand acres of land for public
park when he dies at the age of 81
may we'll be regarded as an eXcep-
tional personality whose life story
is worth telling. Not only does such
q man deserve some recognition of
the generosity to the community
manifested in such gift, but his
achievement of success in finance is
SO unusual that a record of his ca
'sreer ought to abound in useful and
interesting lessons for the innumer-
able young Americans who look upon
Wall Street as the Promised Land
of opportunity for the ambitious
youth of America. II Edward II.
Hartman, the poor son of a poor
clergyman. can thus succeed, they
ask, why may not We go and do
likewise?
Mr.. Remnants narrative of the
sons life is not chronological
throughout. but is arranged in sub
divisions, each dealing with a not
able achievement, undertaking or
controversy. The ancestry of Ed
ward HI. Hartman was English; 1t is
not traced further back here than
his great-grandfather, William Har-
riman. a we'll to do stationer In
London. who came from Bristol to
this country in 1885 and five years
later established himself as a mer-
chant in New York, trading with the
West Indies. He was prosperous
enough to be known as the rich
Englishman." A son named Orlando
carried on the business successfully
for many years after his death; but
the fortunes of the family suffered
much in the great fire of 1887. "A
second Orlando Hartman, son of the
first. was the father of Edward
Henry Hartman. who was born on
February 20. 1S4S. in the Protestant
Episcopal rectory at Hampstead,
Long Island. This Orlando was grad
mated at Columbia College with dis
tinction in 1885, and became a clergy
man of only moderate attainments,
except in the choice of wife. Cor
nelia Nelson. the daughter of a
prominent physician in New Jersey.
"She was a woman of strong and well
balanced character" says Mr.. Ken
nan, "and from her, rather than
from the Rev. Orlando Hartman. Mr..
II.rr;roa. caop,c IN haua