The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-02-09
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.

Washington, FEB. 3, 1905.
The most important event in
Washington during the past week
has been the unanimous decision of
the Supreme Court upholding the
plea of the Government against the
Beef Trust. While the decision of
the Court was widely heralded,
comparatively few persons under
stand precisely what it amounts to.
About year ago, United States
District Attorney Bethea, of Chi
cago, asked from Judge Grosscup
an Injunction restraining the pack
ers from entering into a mutual
agreement to fix the price to be paid
for live cattle and that to be charged
for the dressed products. The in
junction was granted but the Trust
fought it in the courts and its legal
ity has now been confirmed by the
Supreme Court. The advantage
gained by the Government is this.
If it can be shown to Judge Gross
cup that the packers have violated
his injunction be can hale them into
court, declare them guilty of con.
tempt of court and sentence them to
Imprisonment and there will be no
appeal from his sentence.
**.
The next step is for the Attorney
General to ascertain whether Dis.
trict Attorney Bethea already has
evidence that the injunction has
been violated, and if not, to watch
the packers with the purpose of
procuring such evidence. The Presi-
dent has charged the Attorney Gen.
eral to endeavor to procure such
evidence and to demand of Judge
Grosscup, if such evidence shall be
procured, that the guilty packers be
sent to Jail. The President is con-
vinced that while a fine of any
amount would merely be laughed
at by the millionaire packers as
"the fortunes of war;" a Jail sent
ence imposed on one or more of the
prominent men who compose the
Trust would have most salutary
effect and would inevitably insure a
respect for the law which has not
hitherto been accorded it.
***
The decision of the Supreme
Court may prove a relief to the
cattle raiser who, if the Trust does
not dare combine to fix the price of
his cattle, may get its full market
value rather than an arbitrary price
fixed by the packers, but it is doubt
ful if there is much relief for the
consumers in sight for the reason
that the trust has other methods
left by which it can control the
price of the dressed product. Chief
among these is the private car mono.
poly whereby the Trust, even il
compelled to lower it's prices of
dressed meats at the packing house,
can rob the purchaser on the trans
porIation rates and so secure in the
end the same profits as formally.
This brings the representatives OF
the people face to face with the
question of railway rate legislation.
XXX
The unthinking man will say
instantly, Pass the railway rate
bill now before the House of
Representatives." but the more
thoughtful may pause before max
ing such a demand. The fact is
that the combination Hepburn
Esch- Townsend bill, now before the
House and which will very likely
pass at this session, will afford no
remedy against the private car
monopoly. In fact, that subject is
never mentioned and yet it is the
one means by which the packers
have the public at their mercy. As
a matter of fact, there is almost no
possibility that the Senate will
enact any railway rate legislation at
this session, but that may not prove
an unmixed evil. 1t is of the ut
most Importance that any railway
bill. that is placed on the statutes
shall be comprehensive and effec-
tive, that it shall leave no loop-hole
by which the trusts may continue
to rob the public and it is question
able if there remains time for such
a measure to be put through Con-
gress. On the other hand, some Of
the railway men WOuld he only too