The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-06-01
Attacking the Coal Combine.


The great campaign of Governor,
Albeit against the Reading Railway
Goal Combine" has been begun.
The Attorney General has filed with
the Chancellor a petition for an in
junction to restrain the companies,
parties to the deal, from carrying out
its provisions. The Chancellor has
granted the order and set down the
18th inst. for argument as to whether
or not the injunction should be made
permanent. No doubt the case will
be vigorously pushed by the Attorney
General. No doubt it will be stub
bornly fought by the companies. No
doubt the Court of Errors and APP
peals will be called on to finally pass
on the questions of law involved. No
doubt the Supreme Court of the
United States will be invoked in the
long run. Months, if moi years, must
pass before the great litigation can be
brought to a close.
Meanwhile, there will be anew cleo
ton in this State, and a new Legisla-
ture will hold a session at Trenton
we have no idea the litigation can be
concluded this year,-and to that
Legislature the company will doubt
less address itself for relief. 1t will
unquestionably seek legislation of
some sort which will correct its posi-
ton legally and stop the proceedings
against it. There can be little doubt
as to the unsoundness of the great
deal in respect to New Jersey law.
There is reason to think that it would
justify the forfeiture of all the chart
ers granted by this State to roads in
volved in it. The company's lawyers
can hardly be blind to the weakness
of their position, and delay will be
their policy in the courts with the
next Legislative session as their OBJ
jective point.
Here come in both the advantage
and the danger of the State. 1t can
hardly be regarded as desirable that
the proceedings now on foot should
be absolutely successful-eXcept as a
last resort. On all grounds of public
policy, a combination like that of the
coal roads is beneficial and wise. We
have O hundred times pointed out the
advantages to the public from
economy of expense and consolida-
ton of means. These advantages
seem hardly open to dispute. But
the power of the State is valuable as
a means of compulsion. 1t can
be used to coerce the combined
companies into treating the public
fairly. They can, by the threat of
final extinction, be forced to give
the people at large their fair share of
the benefits and profits of the COM
bination in spite of their evident dis
inclination to do SO.
1t will be for the Legislature to so
deal with the question that the COM
bination may retain its great power
for the general use and its own honest
profit, while it will be debarred forever
OPPAC oSAhS SOAAG0l11C1O Vi wal vi
shippers or travellers by any extor-
Tomato or oppressive movements.
The danger of the situation, of course,
is that the Legislature may fall short
of its duty and confirm the deal with
out securing ample guarantees of fair
treatment for the people; but with the
fierce publicity that will blaze about
the matter as long as it remains I'M
settled, we hardly think any Legisla-
tor will be rash enough to betray his
constituents by helping the companies
to rob them.
While we desire to detracr nothing
from the praise of Attorney General
Stockton either for what has been so
Son. c