Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-04-13
COAL TRUST SUIT
Supreme Court
Decides For Hearst
The Trust Must Produce Its Con.
tracts and Show Its Books. Say
Eight of The Nine justices of the
Court.

decided that there is limit TO the
power OF the trusts. great and power
ful though they be. and the law Of the
land is still mightier
The decision Of this same court in
the Northern merger case was con.
Sidercd "a staggering blow TO one kind
OF trusts. but the decision OF the court
rendered as a result OF Representative
William Randolph HearStS suit against
the coal trust. sounded the death knel
of every predatory trust in the country.
1t means that the interstate COM
merce commission can compel trust
maguateS TO bring out their books for
/ inspection ana disclose their unlawful
methods for doing business.
IL means that the millionaires OF the
criminal trusts can be compelled by
/ % commission 10 make confessions
/ which viii bring them under the opera
tiou of the sherman antitrust act
II means that the fence OF technical
/ tiles behind which the trusts have been
hiding has lccn broken down.
Ii means that Attorney General
Knox has been deprived OF the last
shred OF pretended excuse for not act
Ing upon evidence Of the coal trusts
I guilt with which he was furnished 10y
4 Mr.. Hearst Il year and a half ago.
/ which evidence viii now be furnished
4 To him again by Baer. Truesdalc and
/ other managers of the coal carrying
/ roads when they unwillingly rcmount
\ the witness stand ami hand 10 the i'm
/ tcrState commerce commission the CON
I tracts which they 80 desperately and
/ UnsucccSSfuily cudeavored 10 slseld
/ from view.
II I'm the face OF the supreme courts
/ decision ana this evidence President
/ Roosevelt shall permit his attorney
| general TO abstain from doing his
sworn duty it will he for one OF the
two reasons plain 20 the whole coun-
try.
First. that the administration is
afraid TO offend the coal trust and its
allies I'm presidential year: or.
Second. that Mr. Roosevelt cannot
bring himself 10 lee ungrateful 20 the
coal trust which I'm 1900 yielded 90 the
demands of the miners I'm order 10 pre-
vent the strike from spreading 10 West
Virginia. Indiana. Illinois and Ohio
and 2rrayiny the labor vote OF the na-
ton against the Republican national
ticket
Now that the supreme court has sus-
tained the rights Of the interstate COM
merce commission to prosecute the in
vcstigation begun on the petition OF
Representative Hearst nothing can
save the coal trust from swift destruc-
ton except the defiant refusal Of the
: attorney general OF the United States
10 apply the laws Of the United States
10 proved eNtortionists and criminals.
The decision OF the supreme court
almost took away the breath OF all
! Washington Representative William
T. Hcarsts victory over the coal trust
was the only topic OF discussion.
Members OF both branches Of congress
left their seats TO attend the supreme
court and listen 10 the reading OF the
decision 10y Justice Day. Senators,
representatives and distinguished ju-
rists fingered in the corridors after the
last words OF the decision had been ut
tered 10 comment upon the successful
termination Of case brought in be-
half OF the most powerful trusts in
the country.
II was conceded that the New York
/ representative and editor had accom-
plished more 70 enforce the antitrust
and Interstate commerce laws than
the entire stan Of the department
With but one dissenting opinion
Mr. Justice Brewer-the supreme court
reversed the United States circuit
court for the southern district Of New
York and ruled that the. coal oper-
ators must bring their contracts with
the railroads before the Interstate com
merce commission when ordered TO do
SO. Recalcitrant witnesses. members
OF the coal trust, who defied the au-
thorlty Of the commission and refused
TO testify, can also be compelled by
this decision 10 go upon the witness
stand and answer questions.
President Baer and his trust assOci
ates have been brought within the op
GRAFTON Of the federal laws which they
repeatedly and insolently defed by In,
unrelenung persistence Of w. r
Hearst, who Instituted proceedings un
der the interstate commerce laws II
behalf Of the people, who were com
PEELED TO pay unjust exactions in pur
CHASING fuel
Following the big coal strike Of 1870
w. r. Hearst brought the now famou
coal trust case before the interstat
commerce commission on a complain
alleging that the coal companies an
their allied railroads were uniustl
discriminating against consumers. Dul
log the hearings trust witnesses RI
. fused 10 produce their contracts an
also declined to answer questions b
D Clarence j. Shearn, attorney for th
= complainant. w r. Hearst.
: Hiding behind the great power O
5 their wealth and depending upon off
cial friendllness. the magnates an
D their agents obdurately faunted tn
D authority OF the commerce commits
D sion. The commission carried the mat
ter to the United States district cour
OF New York, and Judge Lacombe sus
tanned the trust magnates in their de
, NAL to let any light be thrown upo,
: their unlawful methods.
= The effect Of the Hearst victory car
: not be overestimated. for under tn
! opinion Of the court the interstate con
merce commission can now prOcee
; with It's investigation of the coal trusr
When during the investigation Of th
, coal carrying roads before the inter
5 state commerce commission the COS
: trust magnates refused to answer que.
. IONS and produce certain books an