The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-06-01


poratcd. with headquarters In Chi
cago. X the instrument by means of
which freight rates have been fixed
and that the charges now being inn
posed are the same by all the defend
ants and are SO made by agreement
The following liz the method by which
the petition alleges rates are fixed b,
the Western Trunk Line committee:
Each of the defendants Is mem
Der Of the Western Trunk Line com
mittee. There is "A freight committee
composed Of the freight traffic man
ayers or general freight agents OF
each of the defendants. This com
mittee meets once every month
Whenever any defendant contemplates
change In any rates. rules or reg
ulations. the officer or official repre-
senting such defendant on such com
mittee suggests such change to the
chairman of the committee. who then
dockets the same for consideration and
discussion at the next meeting OF the
the matter IL brought up for consid :
Grafton. II all agree. the proposed
change Is made by all the roads de-
PENDANTS herein. Unless there is unan-
irnous agreement, the suggestion Is re-
jected and no road adopts the pro-
posed change of. rates.
The petition says that there is an
agreement between the defendants to
the effect that no rates viii be ad-
vanced or reduced except with the
concurrence of the entire body. with
simultaneous advance or reduction
by all the others agreed upon at a
meeting OF the freight committee. Fur
ther. II Is claimed. by means of mem
bership In the committee. all compe-
tltion between the defendants Is sup
pressed
The Western Trunk Line commit
tee Is said to have succeeded another
association of "a similar character. the
name Of which II unknown. but the
complainant AYERS that there are other
associations of similar character to
which portions of the United States
have been assigned and In which many
of the defendants are members. The
complainant charges the committee
was organized and is maintained In
violation of the Sherman antitrust
law
Part three of the petition says that
In 1909. or early In 1910. the defend
ants conspired together to make "A gen
eral advance In commodity rates to
prevail throughout the Western Trunk
Line territory.
The freight committee held a meet
Ing, the dates OF which are unknown"
continues the petition. 'and the COM
modify rate named In the Interstate
commission tariff. Aii5. and
sometimes called HosIner's tariff No.
I'D. were gone over and considered.
The conference resulted In an agree
mcnt as To new advancemonts To he
made After they had been deter.
mined upon, each of the defendants
notified the chairman of the Western
Trunk Line committee. w. H. Hosmor.
Chicago. who had printed a schedule
Of advances. called supplement No. 2
to freight tariff No. I'D.
"On April ~. 1910. Hosmer, as agent
FOR each of the defendants, filed sep
arately ON behalf of them with the
interstate commerce commission tho
new schedule. to become effective June
l. 1910. on the lines of all the defend
ants. unless enforcement thereof Is re-
strained by this honorable court" The
petition charges that the advanced
Iatcs are the direct outcome of agree
nents In suppression of competition
and Of an unlawful combination In re-
OF Interstate trade, arrived at
and made effective through the agency
Df the Western Trunk Line committee.
an" that the acts of the combination
m advancing rates are the result of
Furthre charges are made that the
and excessive rates fixed
without competition apply to a vast
number Of commodities of prime utility
and daily necessity. and that the un-
reasonable advances In freight charges
apply to approximately so per cent of
The commodities carried. and will In
crease freight charges In amounts
varying from 10 to 20 per cent of the
'ate heretofore charged The petition
closes by saying that. unless the un-
schedule of rates IL enioined,
I will become effective June | and
he citizens OF the United States who
ship commodities through the Western
Trunk Line committee territory will be
compelled to pay arbitrary and exces-
,ive rates.