The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-22
STEEL TRUST HAS
MONOPOLY ON ORE
so CHARGES CHAIRMAN STAN.
LEY or HOUSE lNvEsTlGAT-
ING COMMITTEE.

Washington. July 22-The United
States Steel corporation, i'm obtaining
the Tennessee Coal ID Iron co. and
its southern ore lands, "cinchedv Its
monopoly Of the ores OF the American
continent and tied UP available fields
for independent concerns, declared
Chairman Stanley Of the House steel
trust investigating committee at to-
days hearing.
Mr., Stanley made the surprising ad :
mission that he had discovered from
his own investigation that the United
states Steel corporation has no
monopoly Of coking coal, but, adj
dressing his remarks particularly to
Richard A. Linbury, counsel for the
steel corporation, he said that if he
could say the same of the ore and
transportation facilities controlled by
the trust he would frankly do SO.
Herbert Knox Smith Will Not Talk.
The committee Intellectually sought
light from Herbert Knox Smith. com
missioner of corporations, whose bu-
reau has been investigating the steel
corporation since 1905, and has made
public only a part of its report. The
commissioner, standing on the attor-
| ney generals Interpretation of the
law that no information could be made
public without the presidents auth
GRITTY, fatty refused to give the com
mittee facts contained In a report not
yet completed. relating particularly to
cost sheets furnished by the steel cor
poration. He agreed that when the
report is ready he would urge the
president to make it public as soon as
possible.
Chairman Stanley read a speech of
Judge Ebert Fl. Gary, chairman of
the board of directors Of the steel cor
poration, made to the board at a meet
ing in 1905 relating to the govern
ment's investigation. In this Mr..
Garry said:
Trust Is In Touch With Roosevelt.
"Our finance committee has been4in
close touch with this matter all the
time. We have been in frequent and
almost immediate touch with Mr.. Car
field, or more or less with.the presi-
dent himself in regard to these mat
ters. UP to date they have made no
complaint of us whatever, but we do
not known any better than you do
what may be the future. We are try
ing tobearank and accommodating to
tS@ department, and we suppose we
have an understanding that we will
not be unnecessarily injured. and that
we will not wrongfully be charged
without having an opportunity to
show the-6acts"
Mr.. Smith said he knew nothing
about this matter.
do you know who was keeping in
constant touch with the president and
Mr.. Garfleld?" asked Mr.. Stanley.
Il do not"
Wasn't 1t George w. Perkins?"
Il do not know"
"lmplying ColIusion7" Asks Gardner.
Does the chairman's question tend
to imply that there was collision be-
tween steel corporation officials and
the president ahdSMr. Garfield ?" asked
Representative Gardner OF Massachu-
sets, republican.
4. mo, but 1t implies unseemly ac-
tivity," said Mr.. Stanley.
"On the part of the president and |
Mr.. Garfield?" inquired Mr.. Gardner.
ooh. no, we can tell more about that |
later"
Mr.. Stanley referred to what he
termed the "act of God" to relieve the
in the discovery Of self
auiding ores in the south, which de-
veloped the open hearth system and
opened the way for competition with
The Bessemer ores of. the Superior re-
yion controlled by the trust. He said
30 per cent of the open hearth ores
we're controlled by the Tennessee Coal
and Iron Co.
The committee viii resume it's hear
ngs next Wednesday.