The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-25
STOPS Rate CUTTING
UNITED STATES COURT ISSUES THE
INJUNCTION ASKED Bf
GOVERNMENT
RAILROADS ARE ACQUIEsCENT
No Opposition to Suit, Is offered, as
the Lines Attacked Hope That
All others Will BE Brought
to Task.
l<rs- RI.
- ..

CHICAGO, March 24-With consent
Of the defendants Judge rosscup. in The
federal court, today issued the tempor-
airy restraining order asked for by the
interstate commerce commission against
six railways entering Chicago. The order
holds good until June !, or until further
orders from the court
The railroads affected by the injunction
are: The Lake Shore & Michigan South
ern, the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago &
St. Louis; the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne &
Chicago, the Michigan Central the Illinois
Central, the Chicago & North Western.
Before entering the order Judge Gross
cup said: But for the compliance of the
defendants I should have required the
fullest possible hearing. The matter is
one Of extreme Importance and not to be
decided without the most mature deliber-
alton.
Personally, I believe freight rates
should be as steady and equal as postage
rates, and that no determinations should
be made. The person who turns over
freight to a common carrier for transport
tation should be made to feel that he
Will enjoy the same rate as every other
shipper. The kind of traffic on which
these bills are based is much more com
plfcated than mailable matter, and the
rates therefore should be subjected to
that much strcter regulation.
But the question here is what power
the government has to enforce the pro-
visions Of this interstate commerce act
If this applica ton for an injunction can
he maintained, 1t will make the courts
of equity the masters of the maintenance
Of rates. Such a finding might also prove
TO be the yitalizing principle of the act.
IF any departure from the established
rates is made by any of these railroads
~ nv~Ia -
court will take great pains to seek out
the offender and provide against further
Violations"
II is believed that the railroads named
agreed not to contest the petition for an
injunction at this time in order that
other roads eventually might be brought
into court and compelled to live up to
the provisions of the Sherman law and
the interstate commerce act.
Day scores the Railroads.
III addressing the court both counsel
for the railways said no opposition would
be made
Judge W. F. Day for the government,
declared that fewer men than can be
counted on the fingers Of the two hands
enjoyed a monopoly in freight rates in the
United States, when grain and the prod
ucts Of the stockyards and the interests
affiliated with them were to be shipped.
The railways, he said, ignored all law, and
while the cutting of rates went on prior
to the year 1901, during that year the
companies became so bold that they OPP
emily and brazenly billed the freight at
illegal rates, as the government would
show. While the regular rate on packing
house products was published at 231ac.
the government was prepared to show
that the favored shippers were given a
n w. os,,t,,
such tariffs while all the rest Of the PEG.
pie of the country were denied them.
Judge Day declared further that the
same practices prevailed on all traffic
generally used for the ordinary necessar-
les of life. He declared such practices
to be open defiance of the laws of the
land and great restraint upon trade.