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Show THE RAID ON HARRIMAN. We print this morning on this page of The Tribune an interview with President Presi-dent E. II. Harriman, wherein he explains ex-plains that he is not ready to quit active ac-tive work 3'et. there being loo many moves left to make. Although he had expected to retire on his Inst birthday, new factors in the railroad problem have so complicated the situation that he felt he must stick io his post, lie claims that Govcrnmeut interference has brought absolute chaos, and that thero must, be readjustment at so muny points as practically to amount to a complotc revision of old methods and conclusions. Mr. Harriman has boon unquestionably unquestion-ably tho greatest, most enterprising, and effective railroad factor in this iuter-niountain iuter-niountain country thai has ever appeared ap-peared in it. His influence has been constructive, expansive, and in most wa-s beneficial. His work on the Union Pacific in improving the .roadbed, eliminating elim-inating curves and heavy grades, and especially in the construction of the enormous trestles across the north arms of the Great Salt Lake places him in the front rank of railroad men in the world. He found the Union Pacific an old-time railroad; the primitive grades,' the original curves still in largo part remained. But he has eliminated the chief of these and has made a track from Omaha to San Francisco that is the equal of any railroad track in the world, mile for mile. And in this city we do not forget his great and constructive con-structive work in the street railway system which has won the confidence and applause of every progressive-minded citizen here. ' What, then, is the meaning of tho war upon Mr. Harriman? Primarily it would appear to come from an antipathy formed toward him by President. Roosevelt. Roose-velt. We do not suppose that the exposure ex-posure of President Roosevelt's appeal to Mr. Harriman to raise money for the campaign of 190-i was the origin of this antipathy; probably it was a mere detail de-tail or expression of the feeling that already existed. But the thoughtful person will naturally object to having such wido and great interests affected so seriously by a personal antipathy or desire for revenge upon an individual 1)3' the President of the United States. What good can come of it all? Who would be benefited if Mr. Harriman were driven to tho wall or ousted from, his railroad managements aud if tho companies of which ho is now the head wore turned over to othors to control? What reasonable expectation would there be that any one better than Mr. Harriman would succeed him? On the contrary, is it not almost an absolute certaint' that meu very much inferior io him in every case would-be the new authorities? Ju the meantime, what-tremendous' what-tremendous' shrinkage in values would occur and what; Josses the stockholders would be called upon to suffer 1 It there were any compensating advantage lo be reaped by tho public or by any worthy wor-thy cause or combination, then there could be some comprehensive idea formed as a reason for the otherwise inexplicable raid upon Mr. Harriman. But we see nothing of good to any one that would come with his downfall. On the contrary, we see widespread disaster and ruin. The Union Pacific railway interests cortainly would suffer tremendously tremen-dously if he were ousted from control. The same doubtless is true of tho Southern South-ern Pacific. As to the Toads that Mr. Harriman is in control of in the East, we are not iu a position to speak with the like definileness and knowledge, but certainly we consider that a successful raid, either by the Government or by an- one else, on Mr. Harriman would be disastrous lo the transportation interests inter-ests and to the business of this Western West-ern region. We do not see, as a matter mat-ter of fact, howthe President of the United States can justify himself in any such vindictive pursuit .of a person of such wide-spread activities and beneficial bene-ficial enterprise as Mr. Harriman. It is surely one of the puzzles of the time to understand wiry it is that the President Presi-dent should set the machinery of tho Government to work against Mr. Harriman. Har-riman. No man's personal vindictive-1 vindictive-1 ness ought to be carried to such" an ex-teut ex-teut as the President is canning bis war in this case. And while this war thus far has uot resulted in anything of immediate injury to the object, of it, the hostilities must certainly have caused him great annoyance and in some respects crippled tho good work that he has had in mind to do. There is just one saving grace in tho whole business that we can see, aud that is that the war the President is making upon Mr. Harriman keeps him in tho harness, and tho longer ho is actively ac-tively in charge the better it is for this Western country. Mr. Harriman says that he probably would have retired on b.is tot kirUiday if .h? pxujUatt lia.ti. not come. But, "the eruption came, and f it keeps him at work. While we are sorry for the eruption and condemn the ones who brought it about, we are yet glad of that one result of it which keeps Mr. Harriman actively at work, j Ho will not be too old for work for quite a numher of years yet, being a man of yood vigor and health. Aud we trust that he may remain long in active life so as to perfect the schemes he has in mind for the development of the transportation facilities of all this region. We want to sec him push on in every direction; and would be glad lo sec him remain at the helm for at least ton years longer. Tn the menntinic no raids upun Mr. Harriman, no abusive slanders perpetrated perpe-trated against him, will deprive him of the good will of the people of all this region, where his activities have been so marked aud the beneficial effects of thehi so deeply felt. |