The independent., 1903-02-05
COAL COMBINATIONS


law These combines have reduced
production, side-tracked cars, refused
to sell coal from their yards except
at exorbitant prices and done numer-
Gus other things which were in re-
straint of trade and against good pub
lie policy, yet not United States at
torney has raised his little finger to-
ward bringing case to enforce the
law, anywhere, in any judicial district
of the United States. That many OF
these attorneys were willing to bring
such cases and would have done so il
they had not been restrained by orders
from the attorney general at Wash
ington no man can doubt. In a few
instances state attorneys have begun
cases under state laws, and as soon as
such cases were brought, or threatened
to be brought, the combines have dis
solved as in Omaha and Detroit,
which shows that there is no lack OF
law to stop these robberies of the
poor, but refusal of executive officers
to do their sworn duty.
A Get Coal" convention was held
in Washington last week with repre-
sentatiVes from nineteen states pres
ent That convention passed unani-
mously the following resolution:
accompanies in the form of trusts
and cOnSpiracieS exist in restraint
of trade, especially in the produc-
ton, transportation, distribution
and sale of coal, tending to create
a monopoly of one of the necesSl-
ties OF life, OcCaSiOning suffering
to millions; that combinations and
cOnspiracies exist between trans
pOrtatiOn companies whereby spe-
cial rates, rebates. ETC., are al
lowed some shippers, and eXorbl-
tant rates charged others; that
these conspiracies are in violation
of the interstate commerce and
antitrust acts"
The convention also resolved that
the president, whose duty it is to see
that the laws are faithfully executed,
be requested to direct the attorney
general to cause to be instituted civil
proceedings, in the circuit courts
where the law is being violated, to
restrain illegal combinations and con-
spiracies and strictly enforce the sew
eral remedies provided by existing
law and that the president be request
ed to direct the attorney general to
cause grand juries to be summoned
in the judicial districts where the un,
lawful acts are being perpetrated for
the Indictment and punishment of per-
sons found guilty of violating the
law"
The Independent does not doubt the
honesty Of President Roosevelt, but he
is surrounded by the worst pack of
ScOundrelS that ever led IAN honest
man astray. He relies upon the ad-
vice of Attorney General Knox, who
has constantly asserted and advised
the president that there was no law
under which conviction against
trusts could be secured
When this trouble about coal first
began it was pointed out to the presi-
dent by private parties that there
was coal trust in the anthracite re-
giOns which existed in direct viola
tiOn to the constitution of the state
of Pennsylvania, the law OF that state.
the interstate commerce law and tie
Sherman antitrust act The presl~
dent referred the matter to Attorney
General Knox, who reported to the
president that the contracts by which
this trust existed had been drawn up
by such eminent and skillful lawyers
that there was no way Of attacking
them in the courts, and the president
believed this agent of satan and trusts
and appealed to congress for more
laws.
From that mOnopnt 1ittIo oOo1 +r,,c+c