The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-14
SENATE RESOLVES TO
INVESTIGATE RAILROADS
Authorizes Interstate Commerce
Commission TO Probe the
Coal Matter.

W non lAN'p 1 o4N' I'bs 10 ~ J''''N
resolution passed by the Senate today for
the investigation OF railroads Is as fol
lows
Whereas. Persons engaged or wishing
to engage i'm mining and shipping bi-
luminous coal and other products from
one State OF tho United Suites TO other
States OF the United States complain
that they are treated unJustly by com
mon carriers engaged in intcrstute car
riagc, In that they. being Independent
shippers, without influence with and In
whose business common carriers or their
officers have no interest, are unjustly
d'scriminoted against. and undue prefer
once Is given to other persons In whose
business the officers OF common carriers
arc Interested or In traflc in which the
common carrier is interested either di-
rectly or indirectly, and that undue
preference or advantage is given by
such common carrier to the shippers OF
coal from mines In which said carriers
or their officers are interested. either d.
rcctly or Indirectly, ana,
Whereas. 1t is further alleged that
the bltuminous coal and other tratiic
above referred 10 Is controlled by com
blnatlon Of common carriers by means
OF stock owners, ship or other instru-
mentalitlcs directly or indirectly, thus
creating monopoly In restraint OF trade,
therefore, be- 1t
Resolved, BY the Senate the House
OF Representatives concurring I'm Con-
grcss assembled that the Interstate
Commerce commission be authorized and
instructed 10 Immediately inquire, in
ycstigotc and report To Congress from
time to time as the investigation pro-
ccedS.
Common Carriers.
First-Whether any common carriers by
railroad, subject TO the Interstate
commerce act. they or any Of them, own
or have any interest in by means OF
stock ownership I'm other corporations or
otherwise. any Of the coal or other
products which they or any Of them, d-
rectly or through other companies which
they control or In which they have an
interest carry over their or any OF their
lines as common carriers.
Second-Whether the officers OF any
Of the carriers aforesaid or any OF them.
OF any person or persons, or any or them,
charged with the duty OF distributing
cars or furnishing facilities To shippers
are interested, either directly or indi-
rectly, by means OF stock ownership or
otherwise, In corporations or companies
owning operating leasing or otherwise
Interested In any coal mines, coal prop
critics or any other traflc over the rail-
roads with which they or any OF them
are connected or by which they or any
OF them are employed.
Matter of Com binations.
tract, combination I'm tho form OF trust
or otherwise, or conspiracy In restraint
or trade or commerce among the several
States I'm which any common carrier
engaged In the transportation OF bi-
luminous coal or other products is In
terested. or to which 1t is n party: and
whether any such common cDrricr
monopolZes or attempts to monopolize
or combines or conspIres with any other
carrier company or companies person or
persons 20 monopolize the trade or
commerce In hltuminous coal or other
traflc among several States or with for
eiEn nations, and whether or not, and II
so 10 what extent such carriers or any
of them limit and control directly or In
directly the output OF coal mines or the
price OF coal.
Duties of Commission.
Fourth-If the Interstate Commerce
commission shall find that tho facts set
forth I'm the three paragraphs above do
exist. then that II be further required To
report as 10 the effect OF such relation
ship or Interest I'm tho coal and other
traffic aforesaid. or such contracts. COM
blnatons In form OF trust, or otherwise
or conspiracy or such monopoly or at
tempt TO monopollze or combine or con-
"pire as aforesaid, upon such person or
persons as may be engaged Independently
of any other person I'm mining coal and
shipping the same or other products.
who may desire to engage. or upon the
general public as consumers Of such coal
and other products.
Car Distribution.
Fifth-That said commission be also
required TO investigate and report the
system Of car distribution I'm effect upon
the several railway lines engaged IN tho
transportation of bituminous coal or
other products as aforesaid. and whether
said systems are fair and equitable and
whether the same are carried out fairly
and properly, and whether said carriers
or any OF them discriminate against
shippers or parties wishing to become
shippers over their several lines either in
the matter OF distribution OF cars or in
furnishing OF facilities or instrumental
ties connected with tho receiving. for
wardinG or carrying OF coal as aCore-
said.
Find Remedy.
SiXth-That said commission be also re-
quired TO report as TO what remedy II
can suggest to cure the evils above sol
forth If they exist
Sevcnth-'That said commission be olqo
required TO report any facts or conclu-
sfohs which IL may think pertinent to
tho general inquiry above set forth
Eiehth-That said commission bo re
quired 10 make this investigation at its
earliest possible convenience and IN
furnish the Information above required
from time to time and as soon as ii can
be done consistent with the performance
OF It's public duty.