Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-04-04
TO PUSH WAR ON TRUSTS
interstate Commerce Commission
Lays Plans For Campaign.
ELKINS' ACT POWERFUL LEVER
Cooperation and Railroad officials Wary
Both Shipper and Carrier Liable to
Punishment.


Washington. D. O., March 27.-The
Interstate Commerce Commission is
ready to do its part in executing the
anti-Trut legislation Of the last session
Of Congress. Before leaving for New
York its members lad given careful
consideration to the new act to pre-
vent rebates and discrimination in
interstate commerce. which they will
enforce strictly.
This act. called after Senators Ell
kins, contains provisions which tile
Interstate Commerce Commission has
long desired as necessary TO stop the
gaps IN existing law, and with it the
Commission will be able to abridge at
least the practices which it is intend
ed to prevent. The Trusts and the
railroads are equally interested in this
legislation and are endeayoring to as
certain with de~finiteness how and
when it will be enforced by the Com
mission. 1t it could be absolutely en-
forced it would be a great difference in
the direction of remedying the abuses
at which it is aimed and npon which
anv of the Trusts have utilized their
privileges from the railroads to de-
stroy competitors who could not get
such privileges.
CORPORATIONS TO DANGER.
The determination of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, which is in
the line of the position of the Depart
ment Of Justice on Trust legislation,
to give the rebate act the widest con-.
struction and the strietest enforcement
is alarming. both to shippers and rail
ways which have been indulging in
the rebate practice. They walked up
to their danger within the last few
days. for they seem to have regarded
the act with comparative Indifference
until they learned what the Commits
sion was proposing to do. They know
now that the Commission holds and
that the Courts will probably hold, if
the question is taken to them. that the
law absolutely prohibits rebates in
any form. even to the extent of ship
Ders' passes, now commonly given, or
free storage or carriage, and that the
Commiss on proposes to find out
whether any such favors are granted.
They know, too, that both parties to
the rebate a e to be held liable and as
even the request of the offer of a re-
bate is to be pnnished with a fine,
which, in the case of the railroads,
will DO imposed upon the corporation
in lieu of the punishment of the rail
way officials.
RAILROADS MAY LEND AID.
Competing railroad freight officials
will. it is now believed, help instead
of hindering the Commission. The
former law is also strengthened by
! providing a heavy fine for willful
| failure to publish freight rates and
bv authorizing immediate injunction
Proceedings against railroads which do
not adhere to their published rates;
also by making the shippers equally
responsible with the carriers. The
| Commission wiil also have the adyan-
tage of the act authorizing the expe-
dition of Trust prosecutions, and the
prospect of losing she delay of from
| five to seven years which defendants
could count upon such cases will. il is
BELOVED, help to bring them to a better
lcompliance with the law.
The execution of the new acts BY
the Commission viii begin as PROMPT
lv as possible, and in connection with
what will be lone by the Department
of Justice and the Department of
Commerce, will produce some inter
esting results.
ANOTHER COAL PURCHASE,