The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-27

each copy OF a syllabus thus addressed
went circular letter.
Witnesses Outside OF Washington.
1t was not until the summer OF 1899 that
the Commission found either the time Or
the occasion for the taking of testimony.
outside of the city Of washington. by the
sub-commissions among which the act per-
mits it 20 aIportion its work BY q reso-
luton adoE tod az the meeting @, June Is
lh6y were all authorized hear witnesses
during July and August ID such cities as
tney deemed advisable upon the topics in
dic1tcd in their respective plans OF enqui v
The sub-cOmmission on mining was the
first 10 begin work in the outside field. 1t
opened a sitting at Denver. Col. July Il
representative Bell sat in The chair With
him were former Senator Lee Mantle and
Nr. VI. ID. RStchford. Of the sub-commis-
sion, and Mr.. John l.. Kennedy. who had
bc-u directed by the Commission 10 join
IN the hearings. The sitting az the Cello
raaa city was continued till the evening OF
July 10. Thence the sub-commssion went
20 Wallace. Idaho. and held daily si'tings
there from July &c to Jury 29 inclusive.
and proceeded thence TO Salt Lake City.
and held sittings there from August 10
August ;. inclusive. The testimony Of the
twelve witnesses heard ct Denver, Col,
was generally as to metalilferous mining
! conditions. with a sprInkling Of witnesses
on freight determinations. The enquiry at
( Wallace. Idaho conducted through the
agency Of twenty witnesses. was wholly as
10 the origin and surroundings o. the Occur
dAlene labor troubles. That at salt Lake
/ City. embracing the testimony Of eight wit
nesses. concerned metalliferoUs and coal
mining
The commission on manufactures
and general business followed . few days
later with a series % Eastern sittings- Its
enquiry vas conducted by Messrs. Ellison
a Smyth, John N FSFquhar. and Albert
Clarke. Mr. Smyth presiding. They sat in
Boston and Lowell from July Il 10 p. and
in New York from the oath TO the 18th
In Boston eighteen witnesses were heard
on general manufacturing aud labor con-
dtttOns incidentally touching upon the
subjects Of technical education. qrbltra-
ton, and strikes Five sworn in Lowell
delivered themselves chiefly upon the sub
Ject OF textile education: and sixteen.
mostly connected with the Barge Once in
New York. testified in New York city on
immigration topics.
The sub-cOmmission On agriculture be-
gan sitting on Angus, a. the Palmer
House in Chicago. MIR A. l.. Harris pre-
sided at the hearings Sitting with him
were Senator J. H. Kyle and Mr.. z. ID.
COnger. The first day was spent ia pre-
paratOry work The taking Of testimony
began on the Sth and was continued until
the close Of che 18th. Within that l.eriod
nine witnesses were sworn as TO general
. agricultural conditions in the West. but as
the hearings progressed, conditions that
were not entirely agricultural We're Uucog-
. cred. The methods Cf combinations OF
. elevator owners and operators were de-
scribed by several witnesses as a handicap
upon the agricultural prosperity OF the
West The railroads that carried for these
great grain stOrehOuses were said 90 be- in
. cooperation with the managers Of them.
Here seemed TO be topic that was for
treatment rather by the sub-commi sslOn
I on transportation than by that on agricul-
tuTe. and 20 avoid the cost in time aud
money OF having it, work duplicated By
. the other sub-cOmnISSiou that on 5gri-
culture suspended its operations and ad-
vised that for the fur her prosecution Of
the enquiry the transportation sub-cum-
mission be sent there.
The sub-COmmiSsiCn on transportation.
under a resolution passed October ~. di-
recting IL TO do So proceeded 20 Chicago.
and on November I5 began an invest ga
tiOn Of the subject. Because 81 the fact
that the enquiry upon which the sHb-curu-
mission was about 10 tBtpr was in
measure. linked with the agricultural en-
Quiry. the Commission asked that Mr. Eu-
gene d. COnger. Of the sub commi ssion on
agriculture. 10 attend the sittiugs. and NJ
responded. Beside him there were present
at the hearings Representative William
LOrimer. TheOb7ld often. and John G.. Bell,
and Messrs. c. J. Harris and John L. Ken
nedy. Represen alive Lorimer presided
and 10 Mr.. Harris was conhded the duty Of
questioning the Witnesses. The sittiugs
were continued from day 20 day until the
evening Of the oath.
Combinations and Trusts.
1T had been apparent from the com
mencement Of the work or the Commits
sion that one oC the larger topics certain to
engage its early attention would be that
concerning the relations OF industrial com
binations. popularity known as trusts to
the labor industry. and welfare OF the
country. To enter on this enquiry the
Commission found il necessary TO suspend
in great measure its enquiries on tb' more
general line. and as the questions covered
the syllabi OF the four commissions the
special lines OF work they had originally
mapped out for themselves have also been
interrupted for six or seven months.
The first positive step taken toward the
enquiry vas the engagement. by resOlu-
ton adopted at the meeting OF February
I 10. 1893, of Prof. J. W jerks, of Cornell
I University. Ithaca, who had won interna-
tiOnal reputation among trust economists.
to digest the State and Federal laws and
decisions hereunder with relation to
! trusts anu COMMUNICATIONS aut the lacIS ana
testimony already public regarding them
on the part OF the commission The range
Of his work WAS enlarged as the enquiry
went along. and he was retained TO map
out the plan OF procedure. to point out the
directions the Investigations should pur-
sue, 10 select and question the witnesses.
and to suggest features for the preIim-
mary and final reports
The proper commencement Of such an
/ investigation presuppOses a definite I'M
! derstanding as to the character and scope
| of the subject TO be studied and the Com
I mission laid the foundation with this def
/ milton:
d" The investigation Of trusts OF indus
/ trial combinations by the Industrial Com
mission will include any or all individuals.
I firms, corporations or combinations that
from any cause, whether control Of pat
cntS, favors Of transportation companies.
large capital, or otherwise may apparently
! prevent or regulate competition and pro-
dUction that they can OK. the price Of their
products for the whole or part OF a market
| with little or no reference to acts OF exist
! ing competitors or to the cost OF prOduc-
ton and distribution
1T was the first essential Of the inves-
| tigation that il should be impartial and
| thorough, and that light from all sources
4 and every interest and all sides should be
/ thrown On il. To that end the insertion in
the newspapers Of the country OF a notice
| inviting everyone who felt that ne had
something 20 suggest to suggest it was
| procured.