The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-28
Get Coal' Convention De-
mands Prosecution of the
Conspirators Who Have
Put Up the Price of Anth-
racite- Government Criti-
cised by Speakers.

anu the Keynote OF the addresses was
criticism of the federal officials for not
enforcing the antitrust laws against
those responsible for the coal shortage.
The convention was called to order by
Mayor Maybury, of Detroit.
Senator Mason Of Illinois, presided.
Mr.. Mason, in his opening address,
charged that the coal dealers in the
various cities have conspired to keep
down the supply and suggested that
a government ownership or a receiver
ship of the mines might be a practi-
cable solution of the problem.
Roasts Roosevelt and Knox.
Representative Gaines, of Tennessee,
criticised the president and the attor-
ney general and the district courts here
for not enforcing the Sherman anti
trust and interstate commerce laws
against the alleged coal monopolies,
suggested that the people of this city
petition the district judges to enforce
the law and said that if the laws can
not be enforced, eve can then see about
impeaching the officials who fail of
their duty"
Corporation Counsel Tarsney of De-
troit, cited decisions to sustain his
contention that the coal problem might
be settled by the courts.
Mayor Maybury said the municipal
ity of Detroit had caused a slump in
coal prices there by selling $50 tons
daily at reduced prices to the poor.
Call on the Government.
The convention at it's evening session
adopted resolutions calling for remedial
action by the proper officers of the
government from existing conditions.
These resolutions are prefaced by q
preliminary statement and long series
of declarations. The statement said
that the convention consisting of dele
gates from fifteen states and the Dis
trict of Columbia, "disclaims any off,
ciaI character or desire or purpose to
encroach upon the official prerogatives
of the president, the congress or any
department of the government or duly
authorized commission. 1t appreciates,
however, that it is exercising the right
possessed by all American citizens to
call upon those in official stations upon
whom the duty and responsibility rests,
to see that the laws of the land are
enforced and obeyed and to restrain
and punish infractions thereof"
No Doubt There Are Conspiracies.
The declarations set out that it is
the judgment and the opinion that con-
tracts and combines in the form of
trusts and conSpiracieS exist in re-
straint of trade and restriction Of COM
petition in trade, and especially in the
/ production, distribution and sale of
coal; that competitions, agreements,
and conspiracies exist between many
| Of the transportation companies,
| whereby special rates, rebates and
| drawbacks are allowed to some ship
| pers which are denied to others, and
| that pools and combinations exist for
| the purpose and with the effect of re-
| Stricting competition and enhancing the
| cost of fuel; that such contracts con-
| Stitute an open and palpable VIOLA
| ton of the interstate commerce act
| and are in violation of the anti trust
act; that adequate power is vested in
| the United States courts to restrain
| such unlawful and criminal doings and
| practices and to dissolve such illegal
| combinations, that it is made the duty
| of the district attorneys at the direc-
| ton of the attorney general to institute
| legal proceedings to compel a proper
| observance of the law and to restrain
! such unlawful combinations and to
| cause all persons violating these laws
| to be indicted and punished, and de-
| plores the delay of the proper officials
to use the power and authority in them
| vested in the enforcement of said laws.
| Called Upon to Act.
| The resolutions adopted follow this
| preliminary statement and are as fol-
! lows:
Resolved, That the president, whose
| duty it is to see that the laws of the
/ United States are faithfully executed,
| be and is hereby respectfully request
! ed to direct the attorney general and
! all other proper officials to at once
cause to be instituted civil proceedings
| in the several circuit courts of the
| United States where such infractions
! exist, to restrain such illegal conbina-
| tons and conSpiracies and to strictly
/ enforce the several remedies provided
| in said acts of congress above cited,
! and that the president direct the said
| attorney general to cause to be sum-
! moned grand juries in the several ju-
| diciaI districts where such unlawful
! acts and doings are perpetrated and
| cause to be indicted and punished in
the manner provided by law, all mana
! gers, officers, agents and other persons
| whosoever found guilty of violation of
| the law.
| Resolved, That the president be re-
/ quested to direct the interstate com
meree commission to inquire at once
| into the reasonableness of the rates of
transportation charged by the coal
| transportation companies concerning
| any rebates, drawbacks or discrimina-
| tons allowed or permitted by such
| transportation companies and to cause
| said commission to make application
to the courts for injunctions to restrain
further exercise of such abuse.
Prosecution Would Be EffectuaI.
Resolved, That it is the sense Of
| this convention that if such proceed
| ings be instituted and such laws en-
| forced, immediate relief will be had