The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-05-27

answer the questions that President
George F. Baer and the other trust
officials so contemptuously refused
to answer in the Hearst suit. t.s
More important still, the court
order demanded will require the
railroad presidents to produce be-
fore the commission the trusts con-
tract limiting production and maxi
ing the coal monopoly absolute.
A refusal to comply with such
an order of the United States court
is contempt. If President Baer
pleads ssDivine right" even that
win not protect him from punish
ment. He must answer the ques-
tions that Clarence J. Shearn, conn-
sci for Representative Hearst, put to
him at the hearing last month in
the Federal building and he must
produce the trust agreements that
created and cemented the infamous
monopoly. 4
+ The coal trust magnates were
driven 10 bay by the evidence that
the Hearst petition and complaint
brought out before the commission.
They were glad enough of re-
spite of a month in an adjustment
of the Interstate Commerce Com
missions hearings. They showed
their desperation when they fatty
refused to answer questions and
practically defed the commission
to compel them to show their trust
agreements.
| The. respite will avail them
naught. The Interstate Commerce
Commission applied to Attorney
General Knox to take the only ac-
Ition that would sustain their au-
thority and dignity as govern.
/ ment body, and the attorney-gen-
Ieral has directed District-Attorney
Burnett to apply for the order of
court. In this application, which
will be made before United States
Circuit Judge Lacombe in the first
week ia June, the United Safes
district attorney will appear as the
counsel for the commission.
t The entire legal machinery of the
government, therefore is arrayed
| finally with Representative Hearst
and his counsel against the coal
4 trust.
i The court order prayed for by
the commission, represented by
the district representative of the de-
partment Of justice, of which At
4 torney- General Knox is the head.
4 will require the attendance and tes-
timony of President Baer and the
other coal trust members.
They will be ordered and requir-
led to bring with them and produce
| for examination before the commits
i sion the, trust agreements and all
the books and papers they declined
to produce when they defined the
subpoenaes duces tecum. ~
/ Even President Baer will hesi-
tate at defiance of an order of the
United States court.
4 When Lawyer Shearn was asked
! today if he had learned of Attor-
ney- General Knox action he said:
i The Examiners information is
correct. The preparation of the
jpetition to the United States court
| for orders compelling President
Baer to produce the Temple Iron
I. Company's contracts and cenpell.
ling the coal companies owned by
1.-THE railroad companies to produce
their. coal purchases and transpor-
tation contracts has been completed
and will be presented to the Inter
state Commerce Commission for
signature on Friday of this week.
Copies will be served on the rail-
/ road companies at once and the ar
gument will take place before Judge
| Lacombe on the Sd or 4th Of June.
! "Mr. Knox has at last been fore
ed to take cognizance of Mr..
Hearst's case against the coal trust,
and to take action which, if success.
full, will leave the attorney general
no alternative but the prosecution
Mr.. Hearst has so long been de-
manding of him.
| The press of,the whole country is
saying to Baer, Truesdale & Co.:
l"If there Is no coal trust and you
are guilty of no unlawful acts in
maintaining your anthracite mo-
nopoly, why don't you answer the
questions put to you by Mr.. Hearst's 8
| attorney and obey the order of the
Interstate Commerce Commission
to produce your books and con-
ltracts7 Why, if you are innocent,
1 do you act the part of thieves in
the prisoners dock who sit there
: sullenly and stubbornly silent, fear
1 ing to testify lest they be convicted
out Of their own mouths. y