The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-04
THE ANTITRUST SUITS.
Attorney General Smith Writes a letter to
Governor Ssyers.
EXPLAINS why he ACTED As HE DID
says the San Antonio Corporate
Combination Was Very Harmful
and Dangerous TO the People.

Austin. Texas. April s.-The following
bit OF interesting official correspondence
was made public today:
Hon Joseph d. Savers, Governor OF
Texas. Austin, Texas
Attorney Generals Office. State OF Texas,
Austin. April s.--Dear sir, It has been
brought TO my attention that one OF the
most dangerous attempts at the Formation
of trust has been cousummated In the
city OF San Antonio by a combination and
consolidation OF four corporations or
ganized and created under the laws OF
Texas. to-wit A gas company, an cleo
trio light company and two street railroad
companies. all OF which corporations fur
Eish the city OF San Antonio and Its in
habitants with lights and electric power.
and the transportation OF passengers. That
these four corporations consolidated and
combined Tor the purpose OF destroying
all competition among themselves, and Tor
the purpose OF regulating and controlling
the price OF gas, electric lights ard eicc-
trio power, and price for transportation OF
r5eeengers. That they had passed by the
city council an ordinance granting thcm
an extension OF all their corporate rights
and franchises FOR the period of forty
years. passing the ordinance at called
session and suspendng the rules to do So
That the ordinance then contracted with
each OF the said corporations for furnish.
Ing light so that said corporations were
relieved from all competition with each
other. II also provided that all OF said
corporations might transfer their fran
chises 10 one common assignee, VINO
should have all the rights, privileges and
powers OF all four OF said corporations.
That they have Que president In common.
These companies represent all or nearly
all the street car lines in the city OF san
Antonio, and all the companies who FUR
nish light and electric power In the said
! city. The ordinance In question reoug-
niges and promotes this consolidation and
eonfers upon said corporations most extra
ordinary powers. ! view with alarm the
tendency upon the part OF large corpora
,ions everywhere to consolidate and com :
l bine themselves into gigantic trusts thus
giving themselves by means OF vast ag-
! gregated wealth. and the number OF em-
| ployes under their command and dicta-
/ ton. a control in both governmental and
4 financial aftairs that constitutes today the
I greatest menace to our free institutions
| and absolutely subjects tho citizens TO the
! demands and exactions OF these monopo-
| lies.
| This tendency upon the part OF great
/ corporations toward consolidation and
combination is not confined TO railroads
although there IL unusual activity in that
I line at present, not only In Texas, but
! elsewhere. but 1t embraces every deNrt.
ment of human industry, and II tho pro-
cess OF consolidation IN permitted TO con-
tue. II will be but few years when not
only the great arteries OF commerce Will
be under one management but all the
| neceRsaries of life VIII be controlled by
stupendOus trusts composed of combined
and consolidated corporations. believe
the attempted combination and cnnsolida-
| ton OF the four corporations at San An
tonic is plain and paipabe violation o
the trust law OF this State, the enforce.
ulent of which IL expressly enjoined upor
1 rue by It's provisions. and II said consolida
ton Ia suffered to exist, the city OF SaI
Antonio will be at the mercy of said cor.
porations. as by said consolidation all com.
petition is removed. and absolute contro
/ OF prices given the consolidated concern
for the period OF forty years. ], therefore
on the LIST day OF April, instituted suit
four In all, against each OF the said cor.
porations, in the district court OF Bexai
county, Texas, for the forfeiture OF thoi
respective charters, and for the appoint
ment of receivers, as required by titl'
CVIII OF the Revised Statutes AS tn,
constitution makes 1t your duty to &c,
that the laws are faithfully executed,
have deemed 1t proper to report to yo'
my action in the premises. Very respect
fully yours.
T. S. Smith, Attorney General.
The Honorable. the Attorney General.
| Exncufiva 0fdce Stata nj rrprns Austin