Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-14
Resolution for House
Committee for Gov
ernment Seizure
OF THE COAL FIELDS
And the Transportation
Facilities Necessary
to Operate Them

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE chairman
of the judiciary committee of the
house today introduced the following
resolutions:
That the committee on judiciary
be directed to investigate and report
to the house with all convenient speed
the opinion of that committee as to
the power of congress to declare that
the necessity has arisen for taking
possession of all the coal. coal beds
and coal mines in the United States
and all lines of transportation, agen-
cies, instruments and vehicles of com
merce necessary for the transporta-
tion of coal.
Detailed Report.
THAT if, in the opinion of the COM
mittee. the power exists and the ne
cessity for the exercise of such power
has arisen, the committee forthwith
report to the house a bill declaring
the necessity of providing fully and
in detail the occasions, modes condi-
tions and agencies for said appropri-
alton that will fully and completely
exhaust the power of congress in
that regard
Coal Rebate Adopted.
Washington, Jan. 1.-the bill pro-
viding for the rebate of the coal duty
passed the house 25S to ). The SEN
ate took up the coal duty bill and
passed it as soon as received from the
house.
Washington, jan II. - The ways
and means committee of the house
yesterday decided to report a bill pro-
yiding for a rebate-equal to the duty
now imposed-on all kinds of coal COM
ing from all countries for a period of
one year The bill adopted provides:
THAT the secretary of the treasury be
and he is hereby authorized and re-
quired to make full rebates of duties
imposed by law on all coal of every
form and description imported into the
United States from foreign countries
for the period of one year from and
after the passage of this act" Rich
arClson of Tennessee wanted to strike
out the limit of time and to put coal
on the free list, but was out-vOted.
Senate INCLINED tn Act Quickly.
After the adjournment of the senate
yesterday the Republican members of
ference of more than an hours dura-
ton on the various resolutions before
the senate for the removal of the tariff
on anthracite coal. They had before
them the text of the house bill grant
ing a rebate of the anthracite duty
for twelve months, and practically
agreed to accept it without alteration
if the Democratic committeeman
reported without delay. The opinion
was quite unanimous that the situation
calls for prompt action and if the SEN
ate committee will be called together
perhaps this afternoon, Immediately
after the house passes the bill.
Cassatt Accounts for the Shortage.
In a letter replying to questions
asked of him by Senator Stewart,
whose committee is investigating the
coal shortage. A. J. Cassatt, of the
Pennsylvania Railway company, says:
1T is very easy to account for the
shortage in the anthracite coal supply.
The strike. lasting nearly six months,
caused a falling off in the output of
some 24000,000 tons. The output dur
ing the winter months has never been
sufficiently to supply current demands,
the deficiency being made up from
stocks accumulated during the sum-
mer; but this winter began with alb
solutely with no stocks on hand, either
at shipping places or in coal yards or
in private cellars, and while more coal
has been mined and shipped since ac-
tive operations were resumed than
ever before during like period, it has
not been sufficient to supply the de-
mand, nor has it been possible to sup
ply enough bituminous coal to make
up the deficiency in anthracite"
After Detroit Coal Trust.
Detroit, Jan. 14.-After much in
vestigation Prosecuting Attorney
Hunt filed information in the circuit
court against the Detroit Coal ex-
change, an organization of 80 loca
dealers, charging violation of the
antitrust law and asking for an in
junction. Judge Hosmer will hear
the arguments Jan. &C.
That Indianola Postofice.
TTyooI,;--+a,, Inn Nc