The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1903-05-19
In and About Washington.
CONTINUED from list page J

mission III N6W 1OIk III SopuooVio"
with the Coal Trust. The import
ance OF the Investigation is evident
ly appreciated, but in some quarters
there is lack of Information as to
the origin OF the investigation. A
number Of papers have stated that
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion set itself in motion at the in.
stance OF United States Attorney
General Knox, That is an extraor-
binary misapprehension OF the
situation. The truth is that THE
INVESTIGATION is BEING
HELD BECAUSE ATTORNEY
GENERAL KNOX COULD NOT
BE INDUCED TO TAKE AC-
TION AGAINST TIE COAL
TRUST on precisely the same evil
dence that is now in course OF be-
ing made public at the sessions OF
the Commission.
On October Last, Representative
William Randolph Hearst informed
President Roosevelt by open letter
that he had petitioned thu Attorney
General for permission to supply
the latter with DOCUMEN FAIRY
EVIDENCE OF the existence Of tie
Coal Trust, in order that he, Mr.
Knox, might be enabled to proceed
against it for its disruption under
Federal law. A few days subse-
quently Mr. Hearst was formally re-
quested by Mr. Knox to submit his
proofs to United States Attorney
Burnett for the Southern Dis
trict OF Nsw York, who would re-
port thereon to the Department OF
Justice.
Mr. Hearst placed General Bur-
nett in possession OF evidence which
established the facts that the coal
carrying railroads are 10 illegal CON-
bination for the suppression OF COM
petition in mining for the arbitrary
regulation of supply, aud the fixing
OF prices.
Attorney-General Knox received
Mr. Hearsts proofs, with General
Burnett's report upon the same, but
neither brought suit against the
Coal Trust nor gave Mr. Hearst's
evidence publicity.
Last winter number OF United
States Senators endeavored to COM
pei Mr. Knox to reveal the nature of
the evidence transmitted to him,
but their efforts failed, the Attorney
Generals friends 10 the Senate, TAX
ing the ground that to force him to
disclose the case against the Coal
Trust might interfere with his
}plans for prosecuting it. And this
ground was taken without any ap-
parent humorous intention.
Representative Hearst appealed
TO the Interstate Comm rec Commits
sion to graft him hearing. The
Commission complied with his re-
quest, and Mr. Hearst, as the sole
complainant against the Coal Trust
is. by attorney, now exposing in New
York the methods and practices OF
the monopoly which cursed the
community with the prolonged
miners strike of Last summer and
brought on the fuel famine-to it's
own profit and the public's loss.
When this inquiry is ended. the
people OF the United States will
have been made 80 thoroughly fami.
liar with the devices OF the Coal
Trust aud their unlawfulness that
legal action should be taken for it's
dissolution.
Mr. Baer and his parceners in coal
monopoly are not engaged in a
Legitimate business enterprise, but a
criminal conspiracy. Therefor 9
the law should deal with them
for the protection OF the robbed
public.
III the Coal Trust is not then pro-
secuted by his administration, we
will know how empty arc its p,o-
fessions OF hostility to the combined