Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-05-04
From Washington.
lCorrevpcndence Of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, May 4


here after independent coal operators will
have to be given the same rates for the
transportation Of their products So are
given the products Of mines controlled
BY the railroads. In this respect 1t lie
believed the decision will have tend
ency to break up the monopoly which
has heretofore arbitrarily controlled the
price OF coal. The price at the mines
will hereafter be the main factor. AL
though the decision Is undoubtedly a
victory for the railroads In most respects,
1t yet confirms to the government powers
against which the railroads have con-
tended. 1t establishes the fact that a
road which owns and separates its coal
mines must divest itself of that owner
ship before it can transport Its product
beyond the state lines. The coal must
De sold to bona fie purchaser
before it enters interstate commerce.
Then the rate of transportation, under
present laws, must be the same per ton
as applied to that product as is charged
on coal mined by other operators.
Although 1t is practically certain that
subsidiary companies will be formed to
lake over the coal properties OF the ie"
roads which actually own mines and that
the msiority of the stock Of those COM
panies will remain In the posses
sion of the railroads, the sdVan'
tsge formerly held of being able to use
their own rolling stock to haul their own
coal, at their own convenience, has been
taken sway. OF course, those roads
which control mines through their
ownership of stock In mining companies
are In the great majority and they are
not affected by the decision.
If the opinion of the Interstate Com
merce Commission experts is not at fault
yesterdays commodity clause" de-
cision by the U. s. Supreme Court will
prove absolutely barren of benefits to
he cosl.carryiug railroads. They g
much further than the attorney general
aud figure that under the recent decision
and the one handed down two Yeas ago
10 the cases OF the New York, New
Haven and Hartford and the Ohess-
oeake and Ohio, the commission has
ample power to enforce the enforcement
# the coal business from that OF inter-
state transportation, 1t is understood
hat The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion may take steps to shortly investigate
The operation Of the cosl.carrying rail-
roads with 8 view Of determining
whether the decision of the court is
being carried out 10 good faith. This
could be done by examining the books
of the railroads at stated intervals. The
weapon which the Interstate Commerce
Commission may employ in dealing with
a coal-carrying railroad is found in that
part of the courts decision in those
Eases in which il held that where a car
ier has violated the provisions OF the
interstate commerce act In particular
manner in regard to particular COM
modify, the court may perpetuslly en-
DIN it from further violation.
The Cslifornis oil producers have be-
come alarmed over the prospect of the
removal of the countervailing duty on
petroleum aud its products and, through
senator Flint, the Los Angeles chamber
If commerce and number of other bust
less organizations today sent to the SEN
ate petitions aud memorials urging that
such legislation would be most unjust
determination against California pro.
ducts.
A dispute between Secretary OF Agri-
culture Wilson and Secretary of the
Interior Ballinger over q question OF
courtesy as we'll as one of Interpretation
Of the law has been carried TO President
Taft. The controversy arose over the
question of the Roosevelt conservation
policy and the attitude taken By the
general land Office. The present diff.
Guilty is in connection with the with
drawal of lands needed by the forest
service for ranger stations, aud the
quarrel is really between Fred Dem
nett, commissioner of the general land
Office and Chief Forester Pinchot; the
correspondence between these two off,
Gals is carried on through the chief OF
their respective departments. The presi-
dent has asked both sides to submit
their cases by briefs.
The committee of ten young ladies
representing the hosiery mill operatives
who recently held great mass meeting
10 ask Congress to increase the rates OF
duty on stockings, ETC., arrived In town
this morning. They we're escorted to
Senator's Penrose's room. The senator
has been designated as subcommittee
of the finance committee to receive the
representations of the hosiery workers.
They saw him between l and 2 O'Clock
this afternoon and we're given cordial
reception but no promises,
Senior Don P. E. ROjaS, the new Ven
ezuelsn minister was received by Presi-
dent Taft at 2:S0 p. m. Secretary OF
State Knox made the introducing in
the blue room and the president and the
new representative from Venezuela chat
ted pleasantly for some time after the
ceremony.
President Tat has disapproved the
sentence OF dismissal in the case Of Sec
ond Lieutenant Charles II. Rich, 26lh
infantry, and hiss approved the sentence
of dismissal In the case of Lieut.. Cor
don A. Dennis, 10th infantry.
Formal action In the way of recogniE-
ing the new government OF Bulgaria was
taken today by President TAFT.
The court Of inqui ~ which is 10 determine
whether or not the soldiers Of the regiment
concerned in the Brownsville incident may
be reistated in the army, held its first session
today. The board decided to take up and
consider FIRST the five thousand pages Of testi
mony resulting fro m the Senate investigation.
This will be done before any witnesses are
called The next meeting Of the board will
probably be held next week.