Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-21
ANOTHER B. MERG GER
Commerce d States Subjected to the
Dietstionsaf a Few individuals
vi0latien Of Law Alleged.

made public The complaint Of the railroad
commission of Kentucky against the At
iantic Coast Line Railroad Company, the
Louisville and Nashville railroad, the
Southern railway. the Southern railway In
Kentucky; in Indiana, the Cincinnati, New
orleans and Texas Pacific Railway Com
pany. the Cincinnati Southern Railroad
Company and the Chicago, Indianapolis and
Louisville Railroad Company, involving al
legations Of unlawful combination. The
complaint asks for an investigation OF these
roads by the commission, an examination
OF the contracts, agreements, etc, the pro-
ouctlon or books. papers, tariffs, contracts,
ETC., the Issuance Of subpoenas for WIT
nesses. an inquiry into the management Of
the business Of these roads: an inquiry as
10 Wnetner their contracts, ETC., constitute
an unlawful combination and a conspiracy
TO pool the freights of the different and
competing roads and device to enable the
roads to divide the net proceeds of the
earnings so as to equalfze the earnings OF
each OF them and the general results of the
arrangements made on the commerce Of the
section involved.
Inc complaint says these roads cover all
important railroad points and all railroad
Ines IN territory aggregating 25,O 900 miles,
with an operating income Of over $50, 600, 600
annually, and charges that J. P. Morgan G.
company have secured practical control and
Aiohasement OF the anairS OF all these lines.
Operated by Few.
Inc transportation facilities of this ter
rltory the complaint charges, practically
VIII become one system operated by a few
individuals and will control the commerce
OF kentucky. Tennessee. Mississippi. Ala
pama, Georgia. Florida North Carolina,
south Carolina, Virginia and Maryland
Inc capitalization of the defendant roads is
lars.
one man or firm. with a few associates,
controlling the Southern railway" the COM
paint alleges, has now secured control of
tns STOCK OF the Louisville and Nashville
Tailroad. and later of the stock of the At
iantlc Coast Line Company and the Allan
TIC coast Line Railway Company, and has
secured an entrance into st. Louis and Chi
cago through lines by which 1t would be
aoie TO rorce and compel other lines out of
St Louis and Chicago into that territory
TO make rates such as it should dictate and
TO dictate schedules. terms and rates Of
every KIND to all smaller roads"
me complaint alleges that this purchase,
consolidation and ownership means the
piaclng or the commerce of that entire Sec
tlon under the control and operation of a
very few men. dominated by the firm of J.
r. Morgan & Company
Nor Obeyed the Law.
1t Is alleged that the defendant companies
have not filed with the interstate commerce
commission, as required by law, copies of
the contracts, agreements, ETC. 1t is
charged that such, arrangements, combi-
nation, purchase and sale for the produc-
ing OF what is called a Community of in
terest Is simply an agreement or comhina
tion by which all freights of all roads
named shall be pooled or Centralized or
routed so as to prevent competition. This
consolidation. joint ownership and Joint
control. 1t is charged, Is simply to nool
rrelghts between these RAILWAYS In such
proportlon as those controlling or managing
the combination shall designate and so de.
story competition. ~ The Complaint aIIeee.
mat as result the rates wifi be advanced.
communities discrifninated against and
freight will be routed over one or another
OF these lines to maintain Increased earn
fictitious values ~ 1F7 w SN'~
BY this control and operation" saws the
COMPLAINT. 1.-The commerce of these states
VIII become subject to the dictation of
bination of powers thus secured iepis,atian
may be had, traffic fmpeded and business
DESTROYED in part Of this territory. The
OBJECT, the complaint continues "is to
pace all the railways under the control Of
a single firm or Of few individuals: to
control and manipulate railroad traffic end
practically pool all the business of ali the
railroads in all this territory to produce
enormous profits. etc. and to place all the
business and products Of over 16 OoO, 900 peo-
pie in $1,000 square miles of territory under
the control and DONNA ton of a single in
dividual." The combination, the commission
charges. is In violation of both the letter
and spirit of the laws of the United States
and OF the several states involved
The interstate commerce commission will
Immediately notify all concerned of the
complaint and probably will arrange for a
nearing not earlier than December.