Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-04-15

Members OF both branches of congress
left their sears to attend the supreme
court and listen to the reading Of the
decision By Justice Day. Senators,
and distinguished jul
rists fingered In the corridors after the
last words OF the decision had been ut
tered to comment upon The successful
termination Of 4 case brought In be-
half Of tbs most powerful trusts in
the country.
1t was conceded that the New York
representative and editor had accom-.
plished more TO enforce the antitrust
and Interstate commerce laws than
the entire STAFF Of tho department.
With but opp dissenting opinion
AR. Justice i.cw"r-ih supreme court
reversed tn, Un,cl 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 conf
merce commission when ordered to do
80. Recaicitraut witnesses, members
Of the coal trust. who defied the au-
thority Of the commission and refused
to testify. can also he compelled by
this decision TO 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 defied by the
unrclenting persistence Of W. r.,
Hearst, who instituted proceedings IN.
dor the interstate commerce laws In
behalf Of the people, who were com
PEELED to pay unjust exactions in pur-
chasing fuel.
Following the big coal strike Of 1902
W. r. Hearst brought the now famous
coal trust case before the interstate
commerce commission on a complaint
alleging that the coal companies and
their allied railroads were unjustly
discriminating against consumers. Dur
ing the hearings trust witnesses re-
fused 10 produce their contracts and
also declined to answer questions by
Clarence ]. Shearn. attorney for the
complainant. W. r. Hearst.
IIlhin.: behind the great power OF
their wealth and depending upon off,
clal friend!iness. the magnates and
their agents obJnraTcly Gauntad the
authority Of the commerce commits
,i,t ~ ~ T.
Ter to the t'uitcd States district court
of Nrw Yp:i. and Judge lacolbe sus'
tanned the trust Eiasimtcs IN 'hetr de-
niul to let any i-El he thrown upon
their unlawfnl methods.
Tie effect Of the Hearst victory can
not he ovrresimateu. for under the
opinion of the court the interstate com.
merce commission can now proceed
with its investigation of the coal trust.
When during the investigation Of the
coal carrying roads before the inter-
state commerce commission the coal
trust lnagnates refused to answer ques'
tons and produce certain books and
contracts called for by counsel for Mr.
Hearst, the commission carried the mat.
ter before Judge Lacombe Of the Unit
ed States circuit court of the southern
district of New York. and Judge La
combe sustained the contention OF the
coal trust magnates. holding that the
questions asked by counsel for Mr..
Hearst were "irrelevant" and were not
permissible under the interstate COM
merce act. but would he under the
Sherman antitrust law, and with this
latter act the commission has no juris-
dictiOn.
From this decision the interstate
commerce commission appealed to the
supreme court of the United States,
and the supreme court has now decided
in Mr.. Hearst's favor. Not In many
years has case SO important 10 the
people been decided by the supreme
court of the United States so soon after
the argument.
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