New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-26
THE COAL TRUST BILLS.
Mr.. BoARDMAN DECLARES THAT THEY CREATE
4 pANGEKOTS POWER.

\ DANGEROUS POWER.
Albany. March 25.-The Senate Judiciary Commit
toe this afternoon gave a hearing on the Robbihs
Assembly bills prepared by the Attorney-Genera
20 enable him TO prosecute corporations ana their
officers engaged in the alleged coal trust The com
rnittee took no action to-day but Senator Lexow
saws IT will meet tomorrow TO consider the amend
,nents proposed and will then agree 10 report tire
bills
Boardman OF Tracy. Boardman & Platt or
Newly York. appeared in opposition. The Dill author-
zing the Attorney General TO send for papers and
TO examine Witnesses Mr.. Boardman said. was I'M
constitutional in that 1t did not provide immunity
for persons testifying
'The power you grant TO the Attorney -deheral'
sail Mr. Doardman. could be terribly abused The
Attorney General II he were dishonest mani am
not referring the present
cite before him Western Union. Cas- Tobacco or
other people and by the mere act could dcpress two
r .hrce points the stock OF the mentioned
and By selling the stock short could IN time De
come rich beyond the dreams Of avarice He couid
hold the corporations whose stocks are lsted IN
terror"
Senator Lexow asked Has any State or foreign
nation ever vested the power proposed by these bs
in eny individual?" Mr.. Boardman replied: No
senator Iexow-Has any officer Of any State or
nation such power?
Mr. Boardman-Not any.
"If the people demand that the power be granted
hv Il
Cantor
put" continued Mr. Boardman. there Ia no
CRYING evil and no demand from the people for the
legislation Coal Is very cheap now the only de-
mand for the bill Is infammable newspaper talk.
This special legislation should not be adopted
Senator wray said in 1892 coal went up TO ~ a
ton because OF the Coal Trust
Coal goes up every year. said Seha'oro Cah'or
and McCarren.
+ Mr. Boardman denied this. and went on TO declare
+hat the bills were unconstitutional and unprece-
dented.
But the Attomey-General has presented these
bills" said Mr. Cantor. He would not present u''-
constitutional measures.
81 don't believe the Attorney General ever ex-
amireSi them They probably prepared by q
clerk In his of'ce" said Mr. Boardman -
Then he has imposed on the LEGISLATURE 81
Mr.. Cantor
/ Mr. Boarimnn then suggested that the power
under the bill be limited to In which the At
torney General chooses TO bring actions.
The bill bringing within the Antitrust law cor
porations ard their officers who assist In carrying
out conspiracies to raise prices made without the
State was then called up and Mr.. Boardman said
he was not opposed to the principles OF the bill.
which was a declaration Of existing statutes He
sugges,ed, however. that the bill be extended to
individuals copartnershps and associations In add
tion 10 corporations and their officers. so that 1t
might apply to the big grocery firms in New-York
which habtually sought TO control outputs OF food
products and prices: , -, 80,
Mr. Boar,man asked that the bill be amended SO
that only those agents Of the corporations be liable
10 the penalty in the bill! who Knowingly participated
In CARRYING out the alleged conspiracy.
THAT Will defeat the object OF the bi," said Mr..
NV amendment Is an innocent one, said MI
Roardman who went saying that u would be
nn mat 10 punish one who unwtlngy violated the
law by selling goods 10 which conspiracy mad
bee made 10 raise the price. , ,,.
I'VE wish TO put the agents on inquiry. by Puhis'. !.
ing the agents we expect to stop the conspiracy.
Senator Payey-I suggest that what is wanted Is a
law permitting no one TO sell coai unless he has
been examined by the Regents and obtained a
certificate
! AT this sally there was laughter. 800
{ Senator Krum who had been scanning the bill
cosely declared that II only applied 10 corporations
a nd their officers. II was then suggested that an