The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-02
Service of Papers Not Complete,
but No Attempt Made to
Eyade Order.
CASE TAKES PRECEDENCE
OVER ALL OTHERS PENDING
Company Officials Generally Re-
fuse to Discuss Action Of
Government.

ST. LOUIS, June 1.-The order OF
Judge David P. Dyer, restraining
twenty-five western railroads from adj
vancing freight rates, was placed in
the hands Of the United States mar
shall here tonight. Three of the COM
panles, having general Offices here, will
be served the first thing tomorrow.
They are the Missouri Pacific, the Wa
bash and the ST. Louis s. San Fran
cisco.
Copies OF the order were tonight sent
to Chicago, Kansas City, ST. Paul and
Parsons, Kan, where general Offices of
the various railroads are located.
Though the temporary injunction is
not effective until served on all roads,
it was announced here no effort had
been made today to collect tha sd
yanced rate.
Case Takes Precedence.
Under the expedition certificate tho
injunction suit will have precedence
over all other cases docketed in the
court. Twice only in the history of
the United States circuit court have
such cases been filed here
In the Standard Oil case, decided in
favor of the government by the United
States circuit court of appeals, COM
hear the railroad injunction suit and
IN the suit to dissolve the Terminal
Railroad association Of st. Louis, eI-
pedltlng cases were resorted to.
The railroads may file motion to
dissolve the restraining order at any
time. If they don't do this, they can
file their answer on the first Monday in
July on the equity side OF the circuit
court.
Will Expedite Hearing.
Under orders of Attorney General
Wickcrsham an expediting certificate
providing for a speedy determination
of the issues was filed. a copy of the
expediting order was mailed this morn
ing TO Circuit Judges Hook, Sanbourne,
Van Deventer and Adams.
Railroad officials here generally re-
fused TO be quoted concerning the suit
today. They said IL was too early to
express opinions, and explained that
they would prefer to keep silence for
awhile, because interviews could not
benefit their cause. The action of the
government, however, was q surprise to
them.
1t was pointed out that the attacks
on the railroads is unique In one re-
spect. 1t is the first time in which
the commercial interests OF the chief
western cities arc not proceeding In full
harmony; in fact, several of the strong
organizations are siding with the car
rIers The ST. Louis league of business
men is not antagonlzing the proposed
increase in freight rates, but in other
cities opposition has developed,
The most important active forces IN
opposing the increase in rates are said
to be the Missouri Manufacturers asso-
citation of st. Louis and the Illinois
Manufacturers association.
1t was stated today that IL was not
the purpose of the railroads to increase
all rates in this territory today. Only
commodity rates were to have been ad-
vanced, which apply almost solely to
freight the general public is not dl-
rectly interested in.
Preparing for Fight.
Within the two next days, attorneys
for the twenty-five western railroads tenn
porarily restrained by the federal court
from advancing freight rates, VIII meet
ments suit 1t was announced tonight
by an attorney for one OF the roads.
that Attorney General Wickersham's Pc
tition for permanent injunction Will be
bitterly contested
The principal ground upon which the
suit win be fought IS the contention that
there is an agreement among the rail.
roads to advance rates In violation OF
the Sherman antitrust law
II any agreement at all Is admitted,
the railroads will contend that II is
legal and necessary because of present
industrial conditions, to protect tho in
terests of the general public. That the
railroads are members of the Western
Trunk Line committee, an official said,
does not Indicate they are in an agree
ment. because the schedule or rates, pro
by the Western Trunk Line
Is not binding on the defen-
dant members without their express con-
sent.
It was stated at various railroad head
quarters that the enjoned rates might
have been collected at distant points to-
day because resembling orders had not
had time to reach them.
Obey Courts Orders.
The officials. so FAR as they could,
obcycd the courts order even ba'ore
service was made. they SYsre greatly
surprised at the secrecy With which the
petition was led and were
Pailwlv Officials SAID most OF the rau-
roads had anticipated The increased reN"-
nue. from The new rates and had planned
extensive improvements, which probably
will he held up.
one broker I'm railrott supplies said To-
night that he already had received sew
sral cancellations of orders from the rail-
road companies.
Frederick n. Judson said tonight thas
he had been retained as sPeclaI couhSeI
In the rate ease. and as such would De
an assistant TO the attorney general
The railroads may come into coust with
A petition to dissolve the restraining or
der Ii they fall in this. the petition oi
The government FOR Il permanent iniunc~
lion will probably come up July ,, the
late on which the order to be served by
tomorrow has been made re-
.urnable.