Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-29

GOAL trust VIRTUALLY ADMITTED.
The Interstate Commerce commits
sion will today continue the investiga-
ton into the anthracite coal cOmbina-
ton ard It is to be expected that more
interesting information will be OBJ
tanned. The existence OF a trust has
already been virtually admitted. Mr..
Bacr In his testimony said that the
several coaLcarrying roads, Of which
the Reading Is the holding corporation,
are operated by voting trusts. He fur
Their stated that about SO per cent of
the mining properties Of the anthracite
region are owned or controlled by the
Philadelphia & Reading Coal company
and that about II per cent Of the coal
produced is owned by the Philadelphia
& Reading company-a majority of the
stockholders Of the two corporations
being the m
Thus is It shown that these corpora
tons have practically a monopoly Of
the anthracite coal industry and that
lLtN dlSO tOlllIUl llt lEdIopOI AAh
regulate the price of. coal. 1t is mani
fcstly a combination which, II not or
ganized precisely in the form of a trust,
possesses the characteristics of one and
seems to clearly fall under the inhlbi-
ton of the law as a contract, combina-
ton or conspiracy in restraint of trade.
As the New York Journal of Commerce
remarks, there are many intricacies in
this business of railroad companies and
coal companies admittedly under the
control of the same men, though sepa-
rately organized, of one railroad leased
by another for the admitted purpose Of
control, of the heads OF companies as
ISOLATED as directors of a nominally in
dependent corporation, but the net re-
suit is that competition is suppressed
and prevented.
1t is this unquestionable fact with
which the public is particularly con-
cerned. 1t wants to have broken up
this combination which determines
how much anthracite shall be mined,
over what lines 1t shall be taken to
market and at what price 1t shall there
be sold. Baer and those associated
with him in this practical monopoly OF
curse contend that there is no violation
of law. ut does not evade any laws
Of the state nor Of the United
States" asserted Baer. 81 shall
be glad to have the question tested In
any form you may select" 1t is ex
tremely probable that he will be &C
commodated. What has already beer
ELECTED would seem to give ample war
rant for i%nstituting proceedings againsr
the anthracite combination under tn,
Sherman antitrust law and It is NOR
than likely this will be done after tn,
Interstate Commerce commission shall
have concluded its investigation. Their,
appears to be very good reason, also
why the state Of Pennsylvania SHOULD
take some action, since there appear
to be a plain violation of its constitu
ton, which declares that no railroad
corporation shall engage in coal mimi,
and that no coal mining company shall
operate a railroad more than fifty mile
long, but 1t is not to be expected tina
the authorities of that state will d
anything. 1t can be very ~conhdentl
predicted, however. that this practica
monopoly Of a great public necessit
will not be permitted to permanently
stand. If 1t can not be broken up unde
existing laws there, will be Legislation
enacted to reach and destroy 1t. OF a
the combinations this is the most da1
gerOus to the public.