The Forrest City times., 1902-01-10
PACKINGHOUSE CASES.
Violations of the Provisions OF the
Interstate Commerce Law
Freely Admitted.

Chicago. Jan. S.-Prosecutions
against all the big clearinghouse con
Germs in the west for violations of
the provision of the interstate com
merce law against receiving preferen-
tial rates are contemplated by the
interstate commerce commission.
This fact developed yesterday dur
ing an investigation begun by the
commission into the handling Of
packinghouse products and dressed
meats. 1t also became apparent thai
the commission and the railway man
agements of the entire country praC
ticalIy had entered into an alliance
for the purpose OF inducing congress
to pass legislation permitting the
railroad to pool under certain reg
ulations by the interstate commerce
commission, and that il is believed
such law can and will be passed.
The third development of the day
was the announcement that the com
mission had requested the attendance
here of all the leading men in the
advancement of the communicated
interests idea, including j. i. Nor.
gan lanes j. Hill and +. Il .Iarri-
man. and that if these men failed to
respond to the request harsher meas
ures would BE- taken to compel their
coming.
Evidence upon which 10 base pros
ccutionf against the packers was OBJ
tanned in abundance. Traffic manag-
ers and presidents of roads east
and west threw up their hands and
admitted freely that thee was no
pretense toward maintaining tarir
rates on packingh rouse products and
dressed meats for export or domestic
use except for a very short period of
time at the beginning of each year.
Paul Morton. second Vice-pres idel
of the Santa Fe: y C. Bird. third
vice-president of the ST. Paul: J. VI.
johnson. third yice-president of the
Rock Island, and other men of the
highest standing in the railroad
world, took the stand and stated
boldly that they are now and have
been continual violators Of the law:
that they are sick and tired of being
such; that present conditions are ir
tolerable: that they are powerless to
secure. a maintenance of rates, and
that millions of dollars are paid to the
westinghouse interests yearly by rail
roads at the expense of legitimate
revenue.
The packinghouses ana their repre-
resentatives to whom rebates were
paid during 1901. according to Com
missioner Prouty, will if possible, he
amenable To a maximum fine of $1,000
Tor every violation of the law
Regarding this phase Of the ques-
ton. Commissioner Prouty says:
Il am heartily in favor of punish
ing the packers for violations of the
law. if the evidence proves sutf-
cient, and | think il will. Under the
law we can not punish the railroad
men who testified, for their testi-
mony absalves themselves. and they
do not testify specifically against any
one else. All the punishment that we
can. if any, obtain against the pack
ers. is in the way of a fine not to e:>-
seed 5000, for each violation.
Speaking of the scope of the inyes-
tigation into the effects Of combina-
tions between the railroad interests.
Commissioner Prouty said:
We have asked the presidents OF
all the roads comprised in the South
ern Pacific combine and the Northern
Pacific combine to attend. and also
}. 7. Morgan. If they do not core
we shall take steps TO compel then
TO appear later. But do not wish To
be understood as presuming that they
viii fail to respond To our request"