Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1908 — A NEW HARRIMAN DEAL. [ARTICLE]

A NEW HARRIMAN DEAL.

The New York correspondent of ’he Chicago Record-Herald (a paper which is supporting Taft and Sherman) telegraphed his paper the other day the following: “The most interesting feature of the day was a report which circulated in the best circles to the effect that a government attorney was authority for the statement that the suit of the government against the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific companies for violation of the Sherman act had been definitely dropped and the prosecution having, after many conferences and thorough consideration?-arrived at the conclusion that It would be unable to make out a case against those roads Formal announcement of this termination of the litigation would, it was said, be withheld until after the elec tion.”

Being in Chicago when this amazing news was printed. Hon. John E. Lamb of this state, a member of the advisory committee of the Democratic national committee, had his attention called to the matter. Mr. Lamb thought the report of the dropping of the suits against Harriman’s roads should be considered authentic. Commenting on the publication, he said: "Those suits against Mr. Harriman’s pet railroads were ordered brought by the administration something near a year ago, with a great flourish of trumpets, and it was generally believed that the administration was in -earnest and that the department of justice would obey orders. Now that Mr. Harriman has promised to be good and his special attorney, William Nelson Cromwell, has been appointed a member of the Republican national advisory committee and has contributed $50,000 to the fund of that committee, it seems that the prosecution has ’after many conferences and thorough consideration, arrived at the conclusion that it would be unable to make out a case against those roads.’ Is the conclusion arrived at an honest one? Or rather is not the conclusion the result of the changed attitude of the Harriman railroads toward the Republican national ticket? Is the fact that ‘formal announcement of the termination of thiff litigation would. It was said, be withheld until after the election’ corroborative proof that a new deal has been made between ‘My Dear Harriman' and somebody representing the United States government? These are questions that will be thoroughly discussed and considered by the voters until the November election.”