The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-06-01
Government Takes Steps to Prohibit Increase in
Freight Rates From Going Into Effect.
UNLAWFUL COMBINATION AND CONSPIRACY CHARGED
Petition Filed in United States District Court Hanni-
BAL Missouri, Gives Method by Which Carriers
Arrive at Tariffs Which Are Said
to Be Unreasonable.

Hannibal. Mo, May 31.-Twcntv- -fl,,
western railroads were temporarily re
strained tonight by United States Dis,
trict Judge Dyer from enforcing ci
making a general advance In inter
state freight rates. The injunction was
granted on petition filed by the gov.
crnncnt on the allegation that the ad'
vance In rates were arrived at by thu
roads by agreement. In violation OF thu
Sherman antitrust act. The petition
says that unless such a restraining or-
der were issued. the rate advances
would become effective AZ midnight to-
night. to the grave injury OF tho peo-
pie cf the United States.
The petition upon which the injunc-
tion was issued was presented to Judge
Dyer by Edward r. Grossvcnor oi
Washington. special assistant to the
attorney general. and by Frederick n
Wickersham, attorney general: william
=. Kenyon, assistant to the attorney
general. and Charles A. Houtc. United
States district attorney The roads re-
strained from increasing the freight
rates tomorrow are: Missouri Pacific
Chicago a. Northwestern. Chicago. Bur-
lington g. Quincy. Chicago. Rock Island
a. Pacific. Wabash, Chicago, Milwaukee
A. ST Paul. Illinois Central. Chicago &
Alton, Atchison. Topeka 4 Santa Fe
Chicago Great Western. Missouri. Kan
sas < Texas. st. Louis & San Fran
cisco. Quincy. Omaha a. Kansas city,
st. Paul & Des Molnes. Minneapolis &
st. Louis. Iowa Central. Fort Dodge,
Des Moines 4 Southern. Chicago. st
Paul. Minneapolis 4 Omaha. Elgin,
Joliet a. Eastern. Chicago. Peoria g. ST
Louis, Chicago. Milwaukee g. Gary,
Minneapolis. st. Paul a. Saut Sta
Marie. Kansas city Southern. Chicago
Indiana e. Southern. the Western
Trunk Line committee.
Tine Order
The restraining order declared that
II was issued upon the statement OF
the counsel for the government that
they would Immediately file an expe.
diting certificate under the act of Feb
ruary IL. 1903. providing for "a speedy
determination OF the issues In conten-
tion. The title of the suit Is The
United States OF America. complainant.
versus the twenty-five defendants, re-
strained In injunction"
II alleges unlawful combination and
conspiracy. The petition says that the
railroads. generally speaking. are the
only ones for the transportation of
freight and passenger traffic for the
states Of Missouri, Iowa. Minnesota
Kansas. Nebraska. South Dakota. Wyo-
ming and parts of Montana, Michigan.
Wisconsin. Illinois. Indiana and Ten
nessee Referring to the unlawful com
binations and conspiracy alleged It
says.
'The maintenance of the lines OF rail-
goad has been encouraged and assisted
by the United States Of America and
by the states and territories and by the
people cf said states and territories,
by franchises and grants and donations
of large amounts of land of great val
ne and Of money and securities for the
purpose of securing to the public and
to the people engaged In trade and
commerce throughout the United
States. competitive lines of transporta-
tion and communication. But for the
unlawful combination. conspiracy.
agreements and understandings be-
tween the defendant railroads. the de-
Pendants would have continued In the
said Interstate transportation trade and
commerce In competition with each
other as TO rates and charges to he
collected for the Interstate transporta-
tion OF freight and passengers and as
10 the facilities and advantages to te
offered to the travelling public and to
L. In. Int tat In
commerce and would now be cempef-
ing In said interstate transportation.
trade and commerce.
TIE second part or the petition
states that on December q. 1906, the
defendants. with the exception OF five
roads NAMED below, not content with
the usual rates and charges. for which
they were accustomed to carry freight,
but intending to monopolize the trans
traffic, trade and commerce.
between the different states, did COM
Dno, conspire, confederate and nnlaw-
fully agree to organize and become
members In the Western Trunk Line
with the object of using
said Western Trunk line committee as
4. means OF suppresslng all competition
between said defendants. In the said
Interstate transportation, trade and
The petition then cites the st. Paul
h Des Moines railroad. the Fort
Dodge. the Des Moines 4 Southern
the EIgin. Joliet 4 Eastern
company, the Chicago. MIL
waukee 4 Gary Railroad company and
The Minneapolis. st. Paul 4 Sault Ste
Marie as later becoming members OF
The Western Trunk Line committee andl
parties to the unlawful combination
and conspiracy.
Continuing the petition says that
uince the date mentioned, the West /