The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-10-08
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NEW
YORK GRANTS The PETITION
ASKED BY THE s.AMERICAN.,
"New York American" Has Won
the First Battle-Operators
Must Show Cause Why At
torney-General Should
Not Proceed A
gainst Them.
gainst Them.

New York, Oct. 2.-The New York
American" has won its first battle in the
fight against the coal trust.
Upon the petition of the "American,'
Attorney-Genera1 Davies today decided
that the operators must show cause why
he shonld not proceed against them .un-
der the anti-monopoly law.
At the attorney generals direction sum-
mons are to be issued in compelling the
great railroad companies to appear in Al
bany next Wednesday and answer, if
they can, the charge of conspiracy made
by the American"
This is only the first move in the peo-
pies fight through the ''American" a.
gainst the coal monopolists. It's import
auce, however, can hardly be exaggerat-
ed. The action OF the attorney-general
means that the powerful owners OF A
1nerca's anthracite mines, who have
heretofore been boldly aggressive, must
NOW I.lead.
attorney General Davies has rendered
his decision against the monopo1ists only
alter long and careful consideration. The
petition of the ''New York American
was presented September 1st. Since that
time and in spite of engrossing political
events, the encouragement has been in
constant conference with his assistant,
Judge Canan, who has been nominated
by the republican party to succeed Mr..
Davies.
The petition of the "American' pre-
senfsd a strong, clear case against the
trust. It was there shown that the great
railroad companies, in defiance OF the
law, owned and operated the anthracite
coal fields of Pennsylvania. 1t was shown
that these railroads had an absolute mo-
nopoly of the hard coal supply of Ameri-
ca. controlling nearly 95 per cent. of the
entire output,
The telling point in the argument of
Attorney Clarence ]. Shearn, who repre-
sented the american" before the attor-
ney-genera1, was the exhibition of price
circulars demonstrating that the rail-
roads, not content with monopoly, con-
>spired together to fix prices upon coal
and squeeze from the public every cent
possible for necessity of life.
For two years it was shown, this con-
spiracy to restrain trade has existed. Com
petition has been completely crushed The
few independent dealers have been throt-
tied and the railroad presidents one of
whom Hpp1a rnH hax- ol,
representatives to guard the coal supply |
of America-he1d secret meetings and a.
greed together what they would make the
people pay for their fuel.
These arguments, the exhibit of the
price circulars in conclusive proof of
combination, were listened to with eager
attention by the attorney-general. He
took the matter under advisement.
Then a word, in the shape of supple
mental affidavit, information gathered
by the "American's' representative
showing beyond the possibility of doubt
how the company was conducted.
This affidavit was the bare recital of
the affairs of the Temple Iron Company
"a corporation bought by the railroads
acting together for the purpose of killing
competition, company financed by the
railroads. It's bonds guaranteed by them
and whose board of directors was made |.
up of the presidents of the railroads.
George F. Baer, president of the Phila-
delphia and Reading Railway; E. B.
Thomas, chairman of the Central Rail
road of New Jersey; F. D. Underwood,
president of the New York, Lake Erie
and Western; William H. Truesdale,
presiden4 Of the Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western; Alfred Walters, president
Of the Lehigh Valley; R. M. O1iphant,
president of the Delaware and Hudson;
Thomas P. Fowler, president of the New
York, Ontario and Western, aud Irving
Stearns.
Portland Dai1v Journal. The strike in |