Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-01-21
TIE SANTA 20 AND
THg COMMISSIONERS

tfrom Wednesdays Daily CitizenJ
> dispatch 10 the Chicago Tribune
from Washington, ID. O.. says:
Tho relations between the Atchi
son. Topeka a santa No railroad and
the interstate commerce commission
have become 30 strained that some.
thing Is likely TO break loose soon.
Now that President Ripley has with.
drawn his demand for rohearing OF
the case. there Is but one thing loft
for the interstate commerce commits.
nion 20 10, which is 10 institute pro.
ceodings Of criminal nature. iirat,
under the Interstate commerce act
and then under the Eiklns act. Part
OF the rebates were given By the rail-.
road before tho Elkins law was pSss.
ed. but others. according to the com.
missioners. have continued to be al.
lowed by the Santa re up 10 AZ late
~ last November.
When the commission irat conclud.
Cd its hearing. which seemed TO con.
Wet the Santa re Of having given n.
legal rebates Commissioner Prouty
Expressed his indignation publicly az
the fragrant character Of the viola.
tions OF law and declared prosecutions
surely would follow. ThereupOn prcsi.
dent Ripley of the Santa Re. issued .
statement. In which he asserted Prou.
~ had pTeiudlced the case, and hat
he was UNIT TO be commissioner. and
that the commission as a whole VAS
useless and perhaps dangerous
piece Of publir machinery
Almost Immediately thereafter
PRECEDENT Ripley iiIed his petition for
rehearing
Now, however, the Atchison. TO.
peka a Santa Fe railroad has with.
drawn its request for "a rchearlng.
although In this withdrawal there ~ a
mystery which members OF the In
terssate commerce commission thus
tar have been unable TO fathom. la
the papers OF Wednesday there APP
peared a full copy OF the telegram
from Ripley to the { mmissl5n. with.
drawing his request for rehearing
OF the charges that his road illegally
had granted a rebate 20 the Colorado
Fuel a Iron cOmapny.
This telegram, although printed In
tho papers the following day, never
was received by any member OF ths
commission. They took notice OF las
publication, however and wired Sir.
Ripley to know whether no really do.
sired 10 abahdon the rehearlng Or not.
Up 10 the time the ONCE closed Friday
night no answer had been received.
Late az night, however, a dispatch
was received from Mr. Ripley by
Chairman Knapp OF the commission.
ia which the Santa To president
quoted the dispatch he was said by
the newspapers TO have sent on TUGS.
dy. Inquiry at the Western Union OF.
Zee In Washington by direction Of the
commission developed that no such
dispatch ~ Mr.. Ripley had been 70
ceiyed here, and similar inquiry at
Chicago deceloped that no such dis.
patch had been illed by Mr.. Ripley
with the Western Union company
there.
Members OF the commission are
indignant az the Santa 10 because
they think ita president has been Jug.
Cling with thom. First he demanded
rehearins, and then withdrew the
demand through dispatch given To
the newspapers. although hc seems 10
have left the commission entirely In
the dark. Al their meeting they do
cided TO abandon the fehearing, which
they never considered necessary, but
which they had granted % relieve the
strain between them and the AtcAisOn,
Topeka a Santa Re railroad.
With the rohearing oui OF The way
the commission will take up tho teal.
mony AZ once, and members Intimate
uRoflicially that they are prepared 20
ask the attorney general 10 order the
district attorneys a. Albuquerque and
other points 20 institute the prosecu.
ton but also against the shippers who
received a rebate. who IN this case.
Of course. are officials Of the Colorado
Fauel a Iron company.
This may bring the mstter close 70
Secretary Morton, inasmuch a. he
vaa connected with both CORPORATIONS
but he never has been q factor In the
oAge 80 far a. the interstate com.
mtfee commission is concerned.