Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-25
Granted in Compliance with Interstate
Commerce Commissions Request.
HOLDS GOOD UNTIL JUNE / OR LATER
Involves Illinois Central and Chicago ,
Northwestern Among Others,
COURT DETERMINED TO ENFORCE ORDER
Declares Railroad Violating the De-
cree VIII he Singled Ont and
summarily Dealt
with,

CHICAGO, March 24-With the consent
OF the defendants, Judge Grosscup in the
circuit court today Issued the temporary
restraining order asked for by the Inter-
state Commerce commission against the
railways entering Chicago. The order
holds good until June / or until further or
ders from the court.
The railroads affected by the injunction
are: The Lake Short g. Michigan South
ern, the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago &
St. Louis, the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne &
Chicago, the Michigan Central. the Illinois
Central and the Chicago & Northwestern.
Before entering the order Judge Grosscup
said:
"But for the compliance Of the defendants
should have required the fullest possible
hearing. The matter is one Of extreme
importance and not to be decided without
the most mature deliberation."
1t is believed that the railways 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 give up to the pro-
visions OF the law and the interstate COM
merce act.
Rates on Equal Basis.
personally believe freight rates should
and that no determinations should be
made. The person who turns over freight
to a common carrier for transportation
should be made to feel that he will enjoy
the same rate as every other shipper. The
kind OF trafic on which these bills is
based is much more complicated than mail
able matter and the rates therefore should
be subject to that much stricter regula.
tion. But the question here is that the
government has to enforce the provisions
OF this interstate commerce act. II this
application for an injunction can be main
tained 1t will make the courts Of equity
the masters OF the maintenance of rates
Such finding might also prove to be the
vitalizing principle OF the act
IF any departure from the established
rates is made by any OF these railroads
during the pendency of these orders the
court will take great pains to seek out the
offender and provide against further viola
tlons.'
Few MonOpOIies of Freight Rates.
In addressing the court, before counsel
for the railroads said no opposition would
be made, Judge w. A. Day, for the govern
ment, declared that fewer men than can
be counted on the fingers Of the two hands
enjoyed a monopoly in freight sales in
the United States when grain and the
products Of the stock yards and the in
terests 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 openly
and brazenly billed the freight at cut rates,
which the government would show. While
the regular rate on packing house products
was published at 23h cents. the govern
ment was prepared to show that the IA
Vored slippers were given a rate as low as
10 cents, illegally maintaining such tariffs,
while all the rest Of the people Of the coun-
try were denied them. Judge Day declared
further that the same practices prevailed
on all traf1c generally used for the ordinary
necessities OF life. He declared such prac-
tices to be in open defiance OF the laws of
the land and great restraint upon trade.