Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-13
ASTOUNDING CROOKEDNEss.
What Judge Cooley Says Of the Viola
tiOns of Law by Western Railroads.


CHICAGO, Dec. 13.-Interstate Commerce
Commissioners Cooley and Morrison left for
the east last evening. In an interview Judge
Cooley says that the willful violations of the
law and the illegal and illegitimate means re-
sorted to by railroad officials to secure advan-
tages over each other, revealed by the investi-
cation by himself and Commissioner Morrison,
were much worse than any member of the
commission has supposed. The reason the
matter had not been taken up before was that
the commission did not get any more knowl-
edge of their doings than was furnished them
by aggrieved parties. The railroads seemed
to be governed by
THE RULE THAT PREVAILS AMONG ALL LAW
BREAKERS,
not to tell tales on each other The large and
prominent shippers and merchants were bene-
fitted by the violations Of the law. and conse-
quently had no reason to complain. and were
not likely to bring violations of the law to the
attention OF the commission. Consequently.
only cases of minor importance were brought
before the commission. and even in those it
was very difficult to secure reliable evidence
The trouble was, he said that the commits
sion was located TOO far away from the base of
operations of these railroads. 1t should be
located where violations of the law could be
promptly brought to its notice and where
prompt and thorough investigations can be
made. The investigations into the methods Of
the railroads In transacting business and other
practices resorted to in order to evade the law
had given him and Commissioner Morrison
better insight into the illegal practices re-
sorted to by the railroads than they had been
able to obtain since they assumed their offices.
THE REVELATIONS OF cRooKEDNEss
were simply astounding, and evidence had
come into the possession of the commissioners
that would warrant criminal prosecutions
against several railroad officials. And the
worst feature was that every official they ex-
amined admitted the facts, but said be had to
do it because others were doing it. Some of
them even went so far as to Justify their illegal
action ON the ground that the law was oppres-
sive and unjust. One manager, who was re-
proved for paying a commission of sc on q
ticket worth $3.50, insisted that there was
nothing in the law to prevent him from paying
as large a commission as he pleased. and after
ward sent written document TO the commits
sion making an argument in justification of
such action.
If the railroads thought that the commits
sion would rest with the admonition given at
Tuesdays mass meeting Of general managers,
Mr.. Cooley said they were greatly mistaken.
That was done simply as warning TO give
them an opportunity to rectify the evils COM
pleined of without further delay and to bring
them to q realization of the fact that the law
must be enforced The commission, he said.
will act promptly hereafter in every case of
violation Of the law that comes to its notice
and the guilty parties will be punished to the
full extent ofthe Law. The commission cannot
afford to have the law made odious by permit
ting its willful violation.