The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-21
COAL AND OIL INQUIRY
Investigation by the Interstate Com
merce Commission Approved.
Observation-Disclosures CONGRESS
In a Message Calls Action Hnsty and
inefficient - Asks More Law N
Money Fears Probing Will Result
In Immunity to Offenders-Has Signed
Resolution Reluctantly.

Money Fears Probing Will Result
In Immunity to Ofenders-Has Signed
Resolution Reluctantly.
Washington, D. C.-President Roose'
vent sent a message to Congress an
nouncing that he had signed the Till
man-Gillespie resolution calling on the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
investigate railroad %monopolies in oil
and coal, and incidentally gave Con-
gress a piece of news officially that
will attract wide attention.
In his message Mr.. Roosevelt said:
81 have signed the joint resolution
'instructing the Interstate Commerce
Commission to make examinations into
the subject of railroad determinations
and m%onoDolies i'll coal and oil, and
report on the same from time to time
1 have signed it with hesitation, be-
cause in the form in which 1t was
passed it achieves very little, and may
achieve nothing, and it is highly unde-
sirable that a resolution of this kind
shall become law in such form as to
give the impression of insincerity-that
is. Of pretending to do something which
really is not done-but after much
hesitation I concluded to sign the reso-
luton because it's defects can be RENE
died by legislation which I hereby ask
for. 1t must be understood that I'M
less this subsequent legislation Is
granted the present resolution must be
mainly, and may be entirely, inopera-
tive.
Before specifying what this legisla-
ton is I wish to call attention to one
or two preliminary facts. In the first
| place, a part of the investigation re-
quested by the House of Representa-
tives in the resolution adopted Febru-
airy Is, 1905. relating. to the oil indus
try, and a further part having to do
with the anthracite coal industry, have
been for some time under Investigation
by the Department Of Commerce and
Labor. These Investigations, I am in
formed, are approaching completion.
and before Congress adjourns I shall
submit to you the preliminary reports
of these Investigations. Until these
reports are completed the Interstate
Commerce Commission could not en-
deavor to carry out so much Of the
resolution of Congress as refers to
the ground already covered without
running the risk of seeing the two
investigations conflict and therefore
render each other more or less nuga-
tory.
SIN the second place, I call your at
tention to the fact that If an inyes-
tigation of the nature proposed in
this joint resolution Is thoroughly and
effectively conducted it will result in
giving immunity from criminal prose
cution to all persons who are called,
sworn and constrained by compulsory
process of law to testify Is witnesses;
though, of course, such immunity from
prosecution is not given to those from
whom statements or information mere
ly, in contradistinction to sworn testi-
mony, are obtained.
"This is not at all to say that such
Investigations should not be under
taken. Publicity can by itself often
accomplish extraordinary results for
good; and the court Of public judgment
may secure such results where the
courts of law are powerless. There are
many cases where an investigation,
securing complete publicity about
abuses and giving Congress the mate
rial on which to proceed in the enact
ment of laws, is more useful than a
criminal prosecution can possibly be.
But it should not be provided for by
law without a clear understanding that
it may be an alternative instead of an
additional remedy; that is, that to carry
on the investigation may serve as a bar
to the successful prosecution of the Of
lenses disclosed. The official body d.
rected by Congress to make the inves-
tigation must, Of course, carry out its
direction, and therefore the direction
should not be given without full appre-
citation of what it means.
"Bnt the direction contained in the
Joint resolution which I have signed
will remain almost imperative unless
money is provided to carry out the in
vestigations in question, and unless
the commission in carrying them out
is authorized to administer Oaths and
compel the attendance Of witnesses.
Il accordingly recommend to Con-
gress the serious consideration Of just
what they wish the commission to do,
and how far they wish it to go, having
in view the possible incompatibility OF
conducting an investigation like this
and Of also proceeding criminally in a
court of law; and, furthermore, that q
sufficient sum, say $4,000, be at once
added to the current appropriation for
the commission, so as to enable 1t to
do the work indicated in a thorough
and complete manner, while at the
same time the power is explicitly con-
ferred upon it to administer Oaths and
compel the attendance of witnesses in
making the investigation in question,
whicL ver work quite apart from its
usual uuties."
The general tone of the message will
be considered by Congress as a slap
from the Executive, and will go fer to
disturb the relations between the two
branches of the Government.
Read between the lines the message
Is taken by many legislators to mean
that urged on by the action of Congress
and the charges Of inactivity in prose-
cution of great monopolies, the Admin
~istration is contemplating a prosecu-
ton of the Standard Oil Company and
the ccal combinations.