Show MEXICAN ROADS J HAVE Government Took Over the Railroads to Prevent Ameri Amen Americans Americans cans From Grabbing Them SENTIMENT FAVORS PLAN SPEECH OF FINANCE MINISTER LIMANTOUR LI R Mexico City Cit Dec Dee 13 l There Thero has been plenty nty of or discussion in official and com corn commercial mercial circles of or the frank trank speech In which Minister of or Finance Limantour last night explained to cr C the gov governments action In bu v Lg g the Mexican Central railway Fear of ot what he styled the tho great railway trusts of o the United States ates was waa the principal reason for the speech the minister declaring that the government had been forced to enter the railroad field on a gigantic gl scale He inti InU intimated Intimated mated that the merging of or the National and Central is but the beginning of or the plan although the republic now owns all nH l the big operating lines Jines in the coun country country try After delivering his bic hi speech he lie presented presente n a bill at the tho request of President Diaz asking that the session of congress which is 19 about to close be bl prolonged that the theT T whole holo situation might be carefully con by the deputies and the senators Minister Limantour said raid that the gov government was first forced into the rail railroad railroad railroad road business ss in 1903 1901 when the National was a as purchased because a merger between fiat Ilat t line and the Central was about to tobe tobe be bc consummated Reasons Advanced Vt t that time the government declared that its attitude in railroad affairs would l 11 K e passive but a change was forced by bythe the tit attitude of American railroad man finan financiers ciers frs Thc The minister said Gentlemen you are familiar with the aspect offered by b the transportation question in the neighboring nation the problem there thre is only a phase of the trust question which may ma be bo characterized as asa asa asa a peril Those great corporations are be beI II 1 I g b extended every day dav and expansion 1 I t 1 a J be ben n so pronounced in recent years t it Jt t may be b said that the aim of most c c the thc financial interests controlling the then tt n systems of the United States is to absorb as many other lines as possible The United States government armed n bv by b the tendency and an desirous of a n reaction against ag It has taken action which aims alm at those organizations organization and checking their contin continued ted d expansion Under these the e circum circumstances circumstances stances it was natural that we should en end d tl dwor to prevent the powerful corpora corporations corporations tons in question attacked as they are b IN ah all legal means in their own country as well as by the tho pressure of public opinion from coming comin hither and pecking tW kin to absorb those Mexican rail rall railroad road ro which are not already under the direct d control of the government The Th minister summed up his argument as a f Sentiment Favors the Plan gentlemen g there are three main ments for the merger First to avoid friction between the different cor eor corporations when the two are competing lin Un s or when one of them fears being antagonized by b a concern In which the nt holds a controlling Interest second to avoid the absorption ab of or properties not controlled by the govern mt by b one of the te t e great gr at railway systems systems of the United States third the of realizing economies economics through consolidation under a single manage management management ment The Th speech was frequently applauded there seemed an overwhelming sen sentim tim rt in favor of o the Ideas advanced by b Se n tr Limantour i |