Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-05-06

the Coal Trust, in order that he,
MIR. Knox, might be enabled to
proceed against it for its disrup-
ton under Federal law. A few
days subsequently Mr.. Hearst was
formally requested by Mr.. Knox
to submit his proofs to United
States Attorney Burnett for the
Southern District of New York,
who would report thereon to the
Department of Justice.
Mr.. Hearst placed General Bur
nett in possession of evidence
which established the facts that
the coal-carrying railroads are in
illegal combination for the suppress
sion of competition in mining, for
the arbitrary regulation of supply,
and the fixing of prices.
Acknowledgement Knox re-
ceived Mr.. Hearst's proofs, with
General Burnett's report upon the
same, but neither brought suit
against the Coal Trust nor gave
Mr.. Hearst's evidence publicity.
Last winter number of United
States Senators endeavored to
compel Mr.. Knox to- reveal the
nature of the evidence transmitted
to him, but their efforts failed,
the Attorney Generals friends in
the Senate taking the ground that
to force him TO disclose the case
against the Coal Trust might inter
fere with his plans for prOsecut-
ing it, And this ground was taken
without any apparent humorous
intention.
Representative Hearst appealed
to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission to grant him a hearing.
The Commission complied with
his request, and Mr.. Hearst, as
sole complainant against the Coal
Trust, is, by attorney, now expos
ing in New York the methods and
practices of the monopoly which
cursed the community with the
miners strike of last summer and
brought on the famine to It's own
profit and the public's loss.
When this inquiry is ended, the
people of the United States will
have been made so thoroughly
familiar with the devices of the
Coal Trust and their unlawfulneSs
that legal action should be taken
for its dissolution.
Mr.. Baer and his partners in
coal monopoly are not engaged in
n legitimate business enterprise.
but a criminal conspiracy. There
fore the law should deal with them
for the protection of the robbed
public.
If the Coal Trust is not then
prosecuted by this Administration,
we know how empty are its pro-
fessions of hostility to the COM
bined mOnopolies of the country.
Who has read any comment on
the comparative smalIneSS of the
Steel Trusts taxesl Its report
shows that it paid taxes to the
amount of 81, 397, 400 in 1902.
This is less than , per cent of its
net earnings and less than mills
on the dollar of the value of its
property, according to its capital
and sworn statement of its preSi-
dent. Is there any sound reason
why this protected-bilIion-dollar
trust should pay in taxes Is cents
on every 800 when the uapro-
tected common people pay 81 or
So on every 800 worth of pro-
perty!
1t is probable that this trust
pays less than 81, OOO,O 900 of taxes
on its iron and steel lands, valued
at over 500, 100000. This is less
than one mill on the dollar. The
taxes on ordinary farm lands worth
81, 200, 900, 900 are about SI5, OOO,-
: 600.
When President Roosevelt was
about to leave on his western trim
!, he was called on by delegation
J of the prominent members of his
, party and was compelled to revise
his tariff and trust busting
, speeches to be delivered on the
) trip, or take the consequence OF
, defeat or attempt at defeat in the
: next Republican national conven-
: ton. The revision was made al
: their dictation, and, inasmuch as
: he had not time to rewrite all his
= speeches he used some warmed-oveI
! speeches that were satisfactory tC