The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-18
M'K|NlEY'S TRIP 70 COAST.
MAY CAUSE CHANGE OF DATE OF
HEARING ST. LOUIS JOBBERs.
Great Northern and Northern Pa
ciRc TO he Represented mt Next
Meeting of Interstate Commerce
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Are Mixed

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE post
ponement of a further hearing of the
case between the jobbers of the Middle
West and certain of the transcontinental
railway lines until April Is next meets
with the approval of nearly all the in
terests concerned. There is a possibility
that this date will be changed, however,
on account of the expected visit of
President Mckinley to the Pacific coast
Many of the persons whose presence
would be required at the hearing wish
to be on the Coast during the presidents
visit
1t was found at the hearing last week
that the questions involved in the case
We're so complicated in character that it
will be impossible to arrive at an equt-
able adjustment of the differences on the
basis of the information at present OBJ
tainable Chairman Knapp said today
that although the presence of representa-
tives of the Northern Pacific and Great
Northern had not been insisted on at the
recent hearing, representatives of these
roads would certainly be present at the
hearing in April In the few days i'm
mediately preceding the hearing corre-
spondence passed between the commit ssion
and representatives of the two northerly
transcontnental lines, in which the Of
ficials of those roads protested that they
ought not to be required to send repre-
sentatives.
Mr. Miller. second vice president of the
Great Northern. wrote to Chairman
Knapp saying that he did not know that
the rates of his company We're involved
In the pending case or that their tariffs
were being complained of by either party.
He would be glad to consider any in
quiries that might be addressed to him
by the st. Louis freight bureau. but he
Iad a. ttr,i4t not mt ant.
tive of his road should be called upon to
give testimony, certainly without previ-
Gus indications of what the nature of
the inquiries was to be-
Position Of Northern Roads.
A similar letter was received from ].
NJ. Hannaford, third vice president Of
the Northern Pacife- He said that Mr..
dressed to Chairman Knapp, and he fully
Endorsed the views expressed therein. 1t
was not fair, ne said. that representa-
tives of his road should be examined
without any previous idea of what was
wanted The company's policy and rates
We're not. so far az he knew, questioned
or complained of. AT the last moment a
telegram was received from Daniel s.
Lamont declaring that he Endorsed the
position of MIR. Hannaford adding that
compliance with the wishes of the st.
Louis people, under the circumstances,
would be used in certain quarters to the
great injury, of his company.
Northern and Northern Pacific TO send
representatives to the hearing the st.
Louis interests. who are complainants in
the pending case, asked the interstate
commerce commission to Issue subpoenas
requiring representatives OF those lines TO
attend the hearing. The commissioners
declined 10 comply with this request In
full justice to all concerned. however.
and in order that the fullest possible ex-
position may be made of all the points
at issue in this far-reaching case the
commission viii require all the transcon-
tinentai lines to send representatives, to
| the April hearing, and II IL believed that
these lines will comply with the request
without the formality OF a subpoena.
Chairman Knapp. Of the interstate COM
merce commission, said today that the
| pending case WAS one of the most Inn
portant that has ever come before the
commission 1t was he said. more than
a question OF railroads, for h involves
| the whole mutipleS question u compc-
| tition In trade and manufactures Under
| the circumstances a thoughtful person
| could not help recognizing the supreme
| Importance of the issue which had been
| raised In this case.