New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-08
COAL AND OIL INQUIRY
RESOLUTION SIGNED.
Rat II May 4chie0e Little or Moth
ing, the President Says.

,ehiue1On, t.-tI0SlQeQt Roosevelt
=, a message to-day TO Congress announcing
%. signature OF the joint resolution recently
lie instructing the Interstate Commerce
P"----,,ssion 10 make an examination into the
t,sct Of railroad Determinations and monop-
-. IN coal and oil He says frankly that he
" s,ened IL with hesitation, because il NAV
A,sve little or nothing. He indicates, too, that
y .,a investigation proposed by the resolution
.onducted thoroughly it will result in giving
-ruuity from criminal prosecution to ali per-
who are called and sworn as witnesses
,ha ouinion OF the President the direction
--.s,ned in the resolution viii. remain practi-
suv imperative unless money be provided TO
- On the investigation and the commission
=. authorized 10 take testimony under it's pro-
'ssLons lie suggests. therefore. that Congress
&c serious consideration to just what il de-
50 the Interstate Commerce Commission TO
- and that $4,000 be placed at the disposal
:, ,be commission TO defray the expenses Of the
.-onosed investigation. The message follows:
- Senate and House of REPRESENTATIVES.:
Rave signed the joint resolution ''instructins
- interstate Commerce Commission TO make
- carnations into the subject OF railroad dis
s-1tnations and monopolies IN coal and OIL. and
.,o-t on the same from time TO time" I have
.ss5as n with hesitation. because IN the form IN
a-Sich IL was passed 1t achieves very little and
~ achieve nothing, and 81 IS highly undesir-
sble that resolution OF this kind shall become
- In such form as 10 give the impression of
Insincer1ty; that is. OF pretending TO do some
.Lirg which really is not done. But after much
hssifation 1 concluded TO sign the resolution be-
.snse its defects csn be reIledied by legislation
mich hereby ask for. and IL must be under
stood unless this subsequent legislation is
s~snted the present resolutions must be mainly
80 nav be entirely imperative
before specifying what this legislation is
ssb 70 call attention TO one or two preliminary
ssrts In the first place. part OF the inyestiga-
sion requested by the House OF Representatives
-, 4
lating 10 the oil industry. and further part
rsy1ng 10 do with the anthracite coal industry
has been for some time under inyesuganon by
the Tlepa-tuent Of Commerce and Labor. These
iryestigations am informed. are approaching
ccn,nletion and before Congress adJourns shall
submit you the preliminary reports OF these
,nvesrigations Until these reports COM
Melted the Interstate Commerce Commission
coud not endeavor 10 carry out so much OF the
resolution OF Congress as refers TO the ground
thus already covered without running the risk or
seeing the two investigations conflict, and. there
fore render each other more or less nugatory.
In the second place. I call your attention to the
Fact that IL an Investigation OF the nature pro-
posed In this 5oint resolution is thoroughly ana
effectively conducted IL viii result In giving
Immunity from criminal prosecution 10 all per
sons who called. sworn and constrained by
compulsory process OF law 10 testify as Wit
nesses; though. OF course, such immunity from
prosecution IS not given 10 those from whom
Statements or information merely. IN conradis-
tnction 10 sworn testimony. is obtained. This
IS not all TO say that such Investigations
self often accomplish extraordinary results Tor
good; and the court Of public judgment may Sc
cure such results where the courts or law are
poWeress There are many cases where an
investigation securing complete publicity ABOUT
abuses s1ld giving Congress the material on
which 10 proceed in the enactment of laws, is
more useful than criminal prosecution can pos
sby be But IL should not be PROVIDED LOT py
law without a clear understanding that II may
be alternative instead OF an addluonaI re en-
edy that IS. that 10 carry on the Investigation
nav serve as a bar 20 the successful prosecu-
10. OF the offences disclosed. The official BODY
directed by Congress 10 make the investigation
rur Of course carry out its direction, and
therefore, the direction should not be given with
out .rn appreciation OF what IL means.
But the direction contained in the joint reso-
luton which l have signed will remain al
most imperative unless money LIS provloeo TO
carry out the Investigations in question ana
unless the commission, In carrying IleHl OUT ~
authorized 10 administer oaths and compel the
attendance OF witnesses. AS the resoluuon now
is the commission which is very pussy VIII us
legitimate work and which has no extra money
al its disposal would be able 70 make the IN
vestgation only in the most partial ana uisat-
isfacTory manner; and, moreover. II is ques-
tionshle whether II could under this resolution,
administer oaths at ali or compel me altehuaHCo
Of Witnesses If this power were disputed ~
the parties investigated the investigation Wou!d
be held up for a year or two until the courts
passed upon il. in which case, during the perloo
Of waiting. the commission could only lnVesu-
gate to the extent and in the manner aIreaoy
provided under its organic law: so that the pas
sage OF the resolution would have acheNeo no
good result whatever.
accordingly recommend TO Congress the Sc
rlous consideration Of just what they Wish inc
commission 70 CO. and how far they wish IL 10
60 having IN view the possible incompatlplllty
Of conducting an investigation like this ana OF
also proceeding criminally in a court OF law
and furthermore that a sufficient sum, say
fifty thousand dollars be at once added TO the
current appropriation for the commission so as
70 enable them 10 do the work Indicated IN
thorough and complete manner; while at the
same time the power is explicitly conferred
upon them 10 administer Oaths and compeI lIe
attendance Of witnesses in making the invesu-
CATION in question which covers work quite
apart from their usual duties II seems un-
wise 10 require investigation by commas
sion and then not 10 furnish either the fun Iesa
power or the money, both Of which are neces-
sary 10 render the investigation effective.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. March d, 1906.