Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-06-01
The Railroad Injunction Suit.

Washington, June 1.-The story OF
how the injunction suit was brought BY
the government agsinst the Is railroads
composing the Western T,uak Associa.
lion In time to prevent the proposed in.
creased rates from going into effect today
vas tod this morning by Attorney Gen
eral Wickershsn. 1. appears that the
government did not wait until the l1th
h1u, to take action as did the ccmmitte
OF shippers from Omaha but jumped INTO
the breach at the first intimation which
reached the department that there was
complaint of the suggested rkt:s in-
cressing.
"The first intfmtt:on that | re-
ceiyed upon the sutj,ct," said Attorney
G sneral Wickersham to-day, 'Was q
single telegram last Thursday evening
iu before l Vas leaving the depart
ment. 1 psid tu; little attention to it
because it was unsupported. Bat on
Friday received number Of kilograms
and Congressman E. II. Hubbard, OF
Sioux City, lows, called upon me and
gave me my first comprehensive view OF
The situation. at once preceiVed that
the proposed action Of The railroads was
suhversiye of the interests of the public
and l Immediately took steps to bring
an Injunction suit | engaged Mr.. Jud.
son, of ST.. Louis, as epecisl counsel b7
wire. Hs is we'll qualified as an expert
in interstate commerce law aud has writ.
ten books upon the suti ct. l spent
Friday evening ard St1rdsy and part
of Sunday In preparing bill of psr!ieu-
lsrs asking for the irjuuctiop and 10
proving from the I. o. O. afidavits 10
show that the proposed tariffs bad been
Gled and that each Of the railroads had
designated Mr.. Hosmer as their agent
to Ale them with the commission. With
these documents 10 hand l found that
the government bad good ftundst;op
upon which to base the suit. There
fore l dispatched Assistant Attorney
General Groyenor on the midnight train
OF Sunday to ST. Louis with 10.
stu tlous to bring the cut Immediately.
When ] received the delegation from
the Omaha convention on Monday l
could not tell them OF the seton which
| had alresdy taken. Nor could | in
dic.t, at what pointI expected 10 To-
stitute the suit. l Tss afraid tina. some
n representatives of one of the railroads
involved wsuld approach the Judge and
argue with him t. the effect that this
vas move! proceeding and that hear
ing should be held before the ipjunc-
ton was granted. Secrecy was abso-
lately essential 10 my opinion for the
success of my campaign. That the
news leaked oct as early as it did yes
terday was due to the fact that Mr..
Grovenrr and Mr.. Jndson filed the suIt
Ia st. Louis abou: nom and then with
drew II on finding that the judge vas
in Hannibal holding court"
Efforts will be made by the govern
meut to expedite as quickly So possible
the hearing before Jadge Dyer t, mnks
permanent the injunction granted By
hir1 yesterday to prevent the Increased
rates OF the twenty i've railroads involved
from going into effect. 1t Is expected
taas the bearing Will be held before the
end of this week. The attorney general
said today that he had chosen court in
the eietl Judicial circuit in which to
bring the suit because in that circuit the
sherman anti trust Law has received its
fnlles! Interpretation in the Standard
Oil and other ceses.