Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1905-10-07
BRIDGE TRUST
A Subject of Discussion in
a Cabinet Meeting
ST. LOUIS MONOPOLY
Will Receive the Attention of the De-
partment Of misunderstanding Taft
Will Continue the Direction Of Is
thmian Affairs-Chinese Question.

Washington, Oct. 6.-SeveraI impo~-
tant questions were discussed at to-
days cabinet meeting, although at the
conclusion of the session it was an
nounced officially that no details of the
discussion could be made public. In
fact, it was announced that hereafter
no information would be given out by
the cabinet officers of their semi
weekly meetings with the president.
but that such information as it was
deemed proper for the public to have
VIII be given to newspaper men by
Secretary Loeb
Despite the injunction of secrecy, it
is learned that action was taken on
two or three important matters and
that others We're considered. The mo-
nopoly enjoyed by the Merchants
Bridge company of St. Louis, of the
bridge and ferry routes across the
Mississippi river was considered at
length. It was decided today that At
torney General Moody should begin
appropriate" action against the
bridge company.
The attorney general made the fol-
lowing statement of the action taken:
1T was determined by the president
department of justice against the mo-
nOpolization of the two bridges and the
ferry across the Mississippi into ST
Louis, appropriate action should be
begun by the attorney general"
Mr.. Moody said that he could not
say at this time what action he
might consider "appTOPriate" He did
not know, he said, whether the action
would forfeit the charter of the Mer-
chants Bridge company or not, as he
would have to so over the law bear
ing upon the matter before reaching
any dete- mination.
The determination of the attorney
general to bring the suit is the result
of Secretary Taft's investigation. 1t
is understood the suit will be based on
an alleged violation of the antitrust
laws of the United States. The con-
gressional charter for the bridges pro-
vided for their forfeiture in case of a
monopoly. Secretary Taft found that
the violation of the law had not been
sufficient to work for a forfeiture, but
suggested procedure, first. by bringing
a mandamus against himself as sec
retary Of war in case any person felt
aggrieved at his refusal to declare a
forfeiture or. second, a suit under the
antitrust law. It is expected that At
torney General Moody viii proceed un-
der the Sherman act.
Considerable attention was devoted
by the meeting to the consideration OF
the questions arising from the COM
plants of the Chinese government that
its subjects Were unjuStly discTiminat-
ed against by the United States at
the ports of this country. Secretaries
Root, Taft and MetcaIf have given
much time TO this question, and, with
the president, they participated in the
discussion. After the discussion in
the cabinet regarding the Chinese i'm
to this country, it was de-
termined that no changes o. modifica-
tions in conflict with the instructions
to the United States consuls contained
in the circular issued several months
ago by the presidents direction will
be made.
It was definitely decided that the
of the isthmian canal
should remain under Secretary Taft
Secretary Wilson brought to the at
tention of the president and cabinet
the determination he had reached re-
garding the inspection of meats. He
indicated that under the law the meat
packers could not be forced to pay the
cost of meat inspection. He had de-
cided, however, that hereafter the
packers should pay for seals or tags
placed upon inspected meat intended
for export. This will bring a revenue
to the department of agriculture of
nearly $4,000 a year. This sum the
proposes to use for extend |
ing the inspection of meats to the |
packing houses, which have requested /
that they be given inspectors but /
whose requests have not been COM !
piled with because the department has |
not had funds with which to pay in !
spectOrs. The idea of Secretary Will |
son was approved by the cabinet and |
1t will be put into operation at once. |