St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-30
Against the Coal Combine Is
the Ultimatum Of the
Committee.
Bill Authorizing the Governor
to Call Upon the Vari-
Gus States.
Donnelly Scores Saunders
With All the Power 81
His Eloquence.
The Senate Adds Imprison.
ment to the Penalty for
All Combines.

Not a stone is being left unturned.
The investigating committee is proceed
ing determinedly and advisedly in its
attempts to dethrone the giant coal
combne-not only i'll the Northwest,
but everywhere. 1t is not the purpose
of the committee to suspend prosecu-
IiOn with the termination of the legisla-
tive session. The work will then be
turned over to Gov. Nelson. A bill con-
templating this was passed unanimously
by the senate under suspension
of the rules just before adjournment last
evening. The scope of the bill, which
is Joint resolution, is sweeping, and
the legislature sincerely hopes that
other states will cooperate with the
same degree of persiStency and prompt
ness that has characterized the course
of the Minnesota lawmakers. Should
they do so, and should the attention OF
congress be pointed to the octopus, the
committee hasn't the slightest doubt
that the monopoly will be rent in shreds,
and that the colossal castle that shelters
the coal baronS will be pulled down
upon their heads by the iron arm OF the
law. The full text of the bill follows:
A National Affair.
A Joint resolution in reference to- an
interstate conference as to q certain
unlawful combination or trust.
Whereas, Certain railroad corpora
tions and coal mine owners OF Pennsyl-
vania and other states have united in
an unlawful combination or trust to
prevent competition, aud maintain the
prices of coal at an unreasonable rate,
and have for that purpose spread their
monopoly over all the Northern states
of this Union, plundering the people
thereof of millions or dollars annually;
And whereas, it is difficult for any
one state to contend alone successfully
with this gigantic interstate conspiracy
and fully overthrow such widespread
evil, but the powers of all the states and
of the national government must be in
yoked for the protection OF the paople
of the entire eountry;
Therefore, be il resolved by the legls-
lature of the State of Minnesota, That
the governor of Minnesota is respect
fully requested to correspond with the
governors OF all the Northern and West
ern states, as we'll as with the governors
of Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia,
Delaware and Maryland, and request
them to appoint commissioners tc meet
on the first Monday of June of This
year, at such place as the said
governors may agree upon, to con-
fer together and formulate such
remedial measures as may be necessary
to abate this great evil; and submit the
same to their respective states and to
the next congress of the United States
for their consideration and action; and
to take all other steps which they may
deem wise and proper for the proSecu-
tiOn of the members of said unlawful
combinations in their respective states.
And be it further resolved, That the
governor of this state is hereby author
fzed to appoint five commissioners, citi
Zens of this state. who shall represent
this state at such conference. They
sum of S5 per day for the
time actually spent in such confer
ence, and their actual expenses. to be
paid upon vouchers submitted by the
governor by the state treasurer upon
the warrants of the state auditor; and
there is hereby appropriated out of any
money in the treasury, not otherwise
appropriated, the sum of $1,000 to pay
the per diem and expenses OF the said
commissioners.
And be it further resolved, That in
case all the governors OF the states re-
ferred to neglect or decline to appoint
any such commissioners, that then the
commissioners appointed by and for
this state shall meet and propose such
measures as they may think proper for
hI. nd nf
gress.
A Blow at the Industries.
The bill was given its first reading
and Senator Donnelly took the floor to
move its Immediate passage. He eX-
planned, as preface, that it was ac-
companied by the governors request,
SO that it meets the requirements OF the
law. Proceeding with his argument,
the Sage said that the more the COM
mittee delved into the nauSeating myS-
teries that surrounded the combine the
more it is shown that it not only visits
suffering upon the Door to crafty the
cupidity of the Scamps at the head of
the organization, but that it menaces
the very Industries of the Northwest.
Should the, combine be permitted to
continue its nefariOus career uninter-
rupted by justice the price of coal will
be forced UP to a price that the man.
ufacturing interests cannot reach. The
manufacturers will be driven from the
state because they will be un-
able to compete with the East.
Turning to the language and provisions
of the bill, Mr.. Donnelly said he would
not insist upon the exact form in which
it was drafted. 1t was the spirit that
should be preserved. If the senate
thought lesss number of commission
ers would perform the work just as ef-
ifeetiyely he was content to make re-
duction in harmony with the temper of
the majority, but he emphasized that by
continuing the agitation throughout the
summer, the iniquitous combine could
be estamped out forever.
And Still Another.
But the good work did not stop here.
Senator Donnelly had another bill
treating the combine. He reported
back House File S74, which amends
chapter 10 of the laws of 1891, that has
'Deen so frequently quoted during the
varying phases of the Investigation.
This bill came from the judiciary COM
mittee. Mr.. Donnelly moved its passage
under the suspension of the rules.
Chapter 10 only provided fine penalty
inscase OF a-cOnvietion for being inter-
ested in trust or cOInbine--a fine of
not less than 5000 nor more than $1,000.
The bill amending goes further aud
provides an imprisonment penalty of
not less than Ole year, nor more than
ten. The senate judiciary committee,
after an exhaustive consideration. had
amended the house bill to provide both
fine and imprisonment, so that the con-
Yict must serve sentence aud also pay