The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-22
KNOWS OF NO COAL TRUST.
President Thomas, of the Erie, Ex
amineG in New York.

asnlDGG ia New York.
NEW YORK, Feb Z1-The sub-comnait-
tee on transportation Of the Industrial
Commission examined at the Chamber Of
Commerce yesterday Vice President T.
l. Greene, of the Audit Company. Many
questions were asked by Prof. jeremiah
" jerks, Of Cornell University. Mr.
Greene said he thought panics happened
here because the American people were
too energetic It would be unwise, ne
said. TO hamper the great captains OF IN
dusJry who, if they were allowed to car
~ cut their plans, would make this coun-
Try great
The afternoon session was taken I'D with
the examination Of President Alfred Wal
ter, OF the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and
President Eben B. Thomas. OF the Erie,
who were questioned at length about the
transportation of coal. Mr.. Walter said
there was no tendency he knew Of toward
the consolidation or control Of the coal
railroads When he was asked if the de-
mands OF the miners last fall we're just he
said:
Well, they got what they asked for"
Mr. Walter said that although the coal
companies had not been particularly en-
barrassed up 70 the present time, the
public was paying more for ccal as = re-
suit of the strike.
VI. EADElilS SdLl tldk LltS Erie ROAD
Tied about 1900. eco tons Of coal a year
and of all freight y 600 coo tons Half the
coal carried was anthracite Asked as TO
community CT interests" Mr.. Thomas
said:
4 know Of No coal combination. I want
to so on record as saying tE4t- N 1896
there was movement which came nearer
10 II than ever before There Is no obi
gation On the part Of any road not TO mine
all the coal it can get and transport There
is not any coal trust. I an sure I would
have been invited TO any such party as
that The railroads consult each other
but there is no agreement
The danger for railroads is not high
rates for transportation, bLt low rates.
There should be no Iay0ritism TO large
shippers I know Of nothing better for the
public than unrestrained. uDregUIared
competition IN everything The reason
cheaper rates are granted &c exporters is
that America IS connecting with the world
and on our action granting low rates
the ability OF the American farmer 70 gel
his goods TO foreign countries depends TO
some extent.
President Thomas said that the anthra-
+ cite region had been peaceful for thirteen
years. until the professional agjCators went
there. There was really no cause for wha-
Mr. Thomas called the benevolent services
Of the agitatofs- Based on the experience
Of New Zealand, his opinion was that COM
puisory arbitration would hardly be sue
Cessful
I fail to see" said Mr. Thomas. in an
swer TO q question put by Pref. jerks.
how the Interstate Commerce law has
helped the country or the railroads If I
wanted 20 make money. aside from prin-
ciple I would rather be on the Interstate
Commerce Commission. with power 10 tx
freight rates. than have q license to loot
the United States Treasury don't think
Congress ever meant that the commission
should have The power to fix rates.
think railroads ought to have the same
right to make legal combinations as other
industries"
1t was announced that the committee
might meet again on Saturday morning If
it does not its next session will probably
be in Washington.