The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-22
KNOWS NO COAL TRUST.
President Thomas, of the Erie, Ex-
nmined In New York.

| NEW YORK. Feb. 21.-The sub-commit-
| tee on transportation of the Industrial
| Commission examined at the Chamber OF
Commerce today Vice President Thomas
! L. Greene. of the Audit Company. Many
questions were asked by Prof. jeremiah
W. jerks, of Cornell University. Mr..
Greene said he thought panics happened
here because the American people were
too energetic 1t would be unwise, he
said. to hamper the great captains of in
dustry who. If they were allowed to car
| ~ out their plans, would make this coun-
| try great
The afternoon session was taken up 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 il the de-
mands OF the miners last fall were just he
said:
We'll. they got what they asked for"
Mr.. Walter said that although the coal
companies had not been particularly en-
barrassed up to the present time. the
PUBLIC was paying more lOT GOAL d5 4 re-
suit of the strike.
Mr.. Thomas said that the Erie road car
ried about 2,CGO. eco tons of coal year,
and of all freight u 900, 900 tons. Half the
coal carried was anthracite. Asked as to
community of interests" Mr.. Thomas
said:
81 know of no coal combination. 1 want
to go on record as saying that. In 1895
there was movement which came nearer
"a how, hnfo lie nh
CATION on the part of any road not to mine
all the coal it can get and transport. There
is not any coal trust. I am sure l 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, but low rates.
There should be no favoritism to large
shippers. know OF nothing better for the
public than unrestrained, unregulated
competition in everything. The reason
cheaper rates are granted to exporters is
that America is competing with the world.
and on our action in granting low rates
the ability OF the American farmer tn get
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 agitators went
Mr.. Thomas called the benevolent services
OF the agitatcrs. Based on the experience
Of New Zealand, his opinion was that com
pulsory arbitration would hardly be sue
cessful.
Il fail to see" said Mr.. Thomas, in an
swer to a question put by Prof. jerks,
'how the Interstate Commerce law has
helped the country or the railroads. If
wanted to make money. aside from prin-
ciple. l would rather be on the Interstate
Commerce Commission. with power to fix
freight rates. than Lave a license to loot
the United States Treasury. l don't think
Congress ever meant that the commission
should have the power to fix rates. l
think railroads ought to have the same
right to make legal combinations as other
industries -
It was announced that tie committee
might meet again on Saturday morning II
it does not. its next session will probably
be in Washington.