San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-03-24
SOME RAILROAD TROUBLES.
Joint Traffic Association
Called Down.
1T IS ACCUSED OF VIOLATING
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
ANTI TRUST LAWS.
Circuit Court Says 1t Is All Right,
But The Supreme Court Don't
Regard 1t In The Same
Light - Officials
interviewed.

New York, March A.-Railroad men
manifest considerable interest in the
decision of the Supreme court holding
that the agreement of the Trans Mis-
souri, Freight association was a viola
ton of the antitrust law Of 1890.
Officers of the railroads interested
in the Joint Traffic association, who,
last week, were jubilant over the de-
cision of the Circuit Court of Appeals
dsmissing the petition of the United
States to have the association diSSoly~
ed, decline to talk for publication IN
til they have seen the decision in full.
President NJ. E. Ingalls,, of the Big
Four, said last night: Il helped to
draw up the original agreement Of the
General Traffic association and it was
on a line of the decision of the Circuit
court which has just now been re-
versed.
IF that decision had been upheld
l am sure that our agreemnt would
have been all right. But at this time
| have my doubts about it. When
that Circuit court decision is reversed
by the Supreme court, it seems to me
that there is no possibility of an asso-
citation or an agreement legally main
tanning rates.
Now, 1 am sorry that the decision
has been rendered for two reasons. In
the first place, while claiming to have
the law with us, we have had none
that gives us any protection and we
have relied too much on the assOcia-
ton and the agreement, which was
rope of sand, instead Of upon our in
4 Ill &c. T. -,
l have always believed that we need
ed legislation so that the railway traf-
fic, which amounts to almost one-fifth
of all the business of the land, should
be brought within the law. When
ever we have tried to get legislation
we have been met by statements that
it was not necessary; that we are act
ing under the law. This decision eff
fectually settles that. | am in favor
of legislation giving to the Interstate
Commerce commission the same au-
thority that the board Of trade has
in England. That is that the rail-
roads might make arrangements for
the division of traffic and the mainte-
nance of rates, and providing that, in
case of any complaint that excessive
rates were charged, the Interstate
Commerce commission should hear the
case and their decision on it should
be final until it was reversed in
higher court. This would aid COM
merce and would injure no one. The
question will be asked what will the
railroads do under the present condi-
tons? am going abroad for short
stay, but my advice to those with
whom l talked today has been that
this New York case against the Joint
Traffic association should be taken to
Washington at once, under an agree
ment with the district attorney, and
the Supreme court should be asked
for an immediate hearing. If that
court still adheres to its decision, then
all associations should be disbanded
and each railroad, through its proper
officials, should make it's own rates"
United States District Attorney Nc
Farland,w who represented the govern
ment in last weeks hearing before the
Circuit court, expressed the opinion
that the Supreme court decision might
be taken as completely overthrowing
the Joint Traffic association. Mr.Mc-
Farland discussed the matter at some
length. He said: "The association |
will be forced to dissolve; you may !
put it as strongly as you like; it can
not continue, at least in anything like |
its present shape. The ns-Missouri |
association was a mere sucking in |
FAINT in comparison with the Joint |
Traffic association and the point made |
against the western body applies
equally against the eastern one. The
decision utterly overthrows the posi-
ton taken by Judge Wheeler in the
Circuit court. What action will now
be taken on the Joint Traffic case, in
view of his decision, have not yet
determined. I may either apply to
the Circuit Court Of Appeals for a re-
hearing or take the matter directly to
the Supreme court.
THE Tarns- Missouri association
agreement was n much less stringent |
one. under which the Joint Traffic as
ISOLATION lines organic ed, and the lat
ter goes much further in many ways.