New-York tribune., 1906-12-29
TRUST INVESTIGATIONS
BOW FACTS ARE FOUND.
Commissioner Garfield Giues an
account of His Stesoardship.
frron The Tribune Buresul


this somewhat mysterious institution is about
10 leave the Department Of Commerce and La
nor 70 become C@cretary of the Interior. a de-
scription OF the workings Of his bureau in his
own words. drawn out by series OF questions.
will prove OF interest Mr.. Garfield asserts that
10 this bureau belongs the entire credit for
gathering that data on which the administrat ton
has based its numerous suits against the Stand
ard OIL Company. and furnishes some interest
ing information regarding other Investigations
now IN progress.
After saying that the anthracite coal investi
CATION was well under way, the bituminous
coal investigation not yet started the oil and to-
bacco Investigations approaching completion the
iron and steel inquiry making good progress.
and the lumber investigation instituted Mr.
Garfield replied 10 various questions regarding
HIS work
Asked the purpose OF the anthracite investiga-
uon. he said it was TO determine the extent of
control OF the companies engaged in anthracite
mining over the field. the amount of capital in
vested the INTERPRETATION between the companies,
the relations between the coal companies and
the transportation companies etc.
Asked how he carried on this investigation. he
said;
The investigation so far has been without ap-
pncation TO the companies for information. 1
collected all the available information that had
been obtained, either before committees in Con-
gress by special investigation before any action
in court IN government cases by the Depart
Enent OF Justice, or by various statements pub
hshed by the coal companies and the railroad
companies with which they were connected, and
such other information could be obtained
through trade circles. ] had that information
tabulated and digested and arranged in such
shape that could tell whether It was available
for a report to Congress. and then I out
lined from that the various points that were not
covered by the information obtained. and these
points could be had finally by application direct
TO the companies themselves. That portion
have not taken UP, awaiting the action OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission"
Asked whether the investigation would show
that the great coal companies had been parcel
ling out certain portions Of the country, and
whether the rates charged were IN accordance
with certain schedule agreed upon by all, Mr..
GARFIELD said:
Il have not the slightest doubt that that
has been done in the anthracite region. This
investigation has only referred TO anthracite
coal"
SUITS AGAINST THE STANDARD.
When asked how many suits had been insti-
tuted by the government as a result OF Informal
ton furnished by the bureau OF corporations
MI Garfield said:
LAS a result OF the oil report, and upon infor-
nation obtained by the Bureau OF Corporations,
there are now pending against the Standard
on Company eight thousand one hundred and
eighty odd counts on indictments for rebates
ten different cases, 1 think These cases are
now pending tSfore the petit juries in the juris-
diction Of Wes;ern New York, at Chicago, at
81. Louis, and in the Western District of Ten
nessee, at Grand Junction. Other presentations
VIII be made before the grand Juries Of Louisi-
nna and California The Department OF Justice
has just filed a general bill in equity to dissolve
the standard on Company. The bin was fled
in the jurisdiction Of St Louis. The bill covers
Hn cNF Tiafd fT1Frc Root
Bureau Of Corporations not only the relations
Of the oil company TO the railroads, but its
productions Of the oil fields in the refneries and
in the foreign trade. All of that material has
been furnished by the Bureau of Corpora ions"
OTHER ANTITRUST SUITS.
LIT. Garfield said that the suit instituted
against the Passenger Elevator Trust was based
on information furnished by the Interstate Com
nerce Commission; that the suit against the
Paper Trust antedated the creation of the Bu-
reau Of Corporations. and that his bureau was
unable 10 take up the Pullman palace car case
because, being a private car company. that con-
Germ came under the Jurisdiction of the Inter
state Commerce Commission
Speaking Of some OF the difficulties encoun-
tered 50 the Investigations Mr.. Garfield said:
We run I'D against this: They say, We are
not engaged In interstate commerce, and there
fore not subject 10 the provisions Of the act 1
think It is all part and parcel OF one transac-
ton. and the more clever the device TO avoid
the operation of the fundamental law the more
fragrant IS the violation. The only way
sorts. s a " is Oy persistent ana DAihS'Ai'ihs ei-
Asked. in reference to the beef investigation. If
there was much of attempt at monopoly
n restriction Of trade as in any other line OF
commerce. he said:
Absolutely. 1 hope that ultimately that mat
ter may be reached again believe the inspec-
ton law passed last year will go long way
toward relieving the country Of that difficulty,
because il viii have the indirect effect of bring
ing 10 public attention and TO federal notice the
methods Of operation OF hose companies"
How do you get that through the inspec-
ton law?"
Simply by afTording facts as 20 what they
are doing. and the moment you get any light
on these people IL dOvetal!S into the infOrIna-
lion which We have. Unfortunately the decision
of Judge Humphrey has precluded our pressing
10 a conclusion that action The information
that obtained by the Bureau Of Corpora
lions, 10 my mind, proved conclusiYely that
those men We're in combination and had sub
divided the territory OF this country, that
they controlled II entirely. Up through New
York and New England they had as high as 80
per cent, and sometimes as high as 100 per
cent"
why did you not appeal that case?"
IT criminal case, and the government:
was without the power to appeal"
And they are controlling the by-products,
they are controlling to-day skins and hides Just
as completely anything elseY"
Yes sir; and those special parts OF that in
ousTry may be taken up by the government
again. and. with the law as 1t now stands,
have no fear Of running into the difficulties we
met before. There were four men with whom l
personally talked and who had voluntarily
agreed to give me the information and Judge
Humphrey decided that sixteen men who were
connected with those men were immune from
Prosecution because those men had talked with
me-"
APPRAISER DE vRIEs REAPPoINTED.
Washington. Dee. 2S-The Secretary OF the Treas
laS peeH Sa Of