The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-23
WILL INSERT PROBE.
House Passes the Resolution for Coal
and Oil Investigation.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-Without op-
position the house as its first business
today passed the I1llTnan-Gillespl
resolution directing the interstate
commerce commission to make exani-
nation on the subject of railway dis
elimination and monOpolies and report
on the same from time to time.
Mr.. Townsend (Mich.9 presented
the resolution with unanimous report
from the interstate and foreign com
merce committee. In explaining the
resolution, Mr. Townsend said:
This resolution was born of set
tied conviction among the people, as
reflected in congress, that injustice
and wrong is being done them by GER
tain interstate carriers Of coal and oil
AS members of the national legisla-
ture, it seems to me that it is the duty
of congressman when great COM
plants are presented by numerous
citizens of high character against con-
ditions which are alleged to injuriously
affect producers and consumers of the
necessaries Of life, to at least fnyesti-
gate the complaints with a view to de-
termining, first whether the COM
plants are well grounded; and second,
If wrongs are found to exist to dis
cover if possible whether existing
laws are being violated; and, third, if
any new legislation Is necessary.
ut has been confidently alleged that
certain railroad companies have large
holdings of coal and oil lands; that
they buy and sell coal and oil; that
in other cases officers Of these roads
own sufficient of the stock of oil and
coal companies when used in connec-
ton with the stock owned by the
roads to enable them to control such
companies; that by reason OF such
ownership dealings and collusions the
two great neceSSaries of modern life,
coal and oil, are made more expensive
to the consumer, and at the same time
Independent owners and dealers in
these products are injured if not
ruined.
1T is alleged that hundreds of own
ers of coal and oil mines and fields
are prevented from operating for the
reason that the roads which, under
the law should serve them, either fail
entirely in furnishing the means of
transportation or else furnish them so
inadequately as to make operation un-
profitable.
THE result of this can only be that
every consumer of coal and oil is sub
ject to the prices OF monopoly, which
are those of extortfon and injustice. It
is possible that existing law may not
be adequate to reach these evils if they
are found to exist, but there can be
no doubt that the government is strong
enough to protect its citizens against
any of Its law-made creatures, and
when publicity reveals an evil con-
gress will be able AMI willing to apply
remedy.
lie tESOAutiOIl dN originally pre-
sented to the house contemplated only
an investigation in relation to btu
minous coal The senate resolution
Includes all other products.
The gentleman from Kansas, Mr.
Campbell, most abb presented rea-
sons backed by facts, showing that oil
should be included. The committee
believes that carriers of all kinds of
coal and oil should be the subjects Of
investigation and the interstate com
merce commission should make it.
This Investigation should be
promptly, fearlessly and wen made
Mr.. Grosvenor briefly fndorsed the
resolution. Mr.. Grosvenor referred to
| his attempts to amend the rate bill
which he abandoned in the interest of
the passage of that bill, and had given
notice of an Independent measure he
should present to prevent railroads
owning industrial properties.
support to the resolution was made
| by Mr.. Williams the minority leader.
| in a brief speech.