The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-19
RULINGS EXPECTED
UPON VITAL CASES
Supreme Court Has Been
Considering Litigation of
Great Importance.
(National News Associa tion)


=. National News Association)
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Feb. ia
subject of much discussion in Wash.
lugton just now 10 the possible conse-
Quences, financial. industrial and p0lit-
1cal. Of the several important decis-
ions that are expected to be handed
down at an early date by the Supreme
Court OF the United States. The decis-
ions in which most interest Is mani
tested are those in the cases of the
cotton pool and the anthracite pool,
both Of which call for the interpreta.
ton Of the important phases Of the
Sherman Antitrust act. A third case
Of importance before the court has to
do with the constitutionality fthe
Initiative and referendum.
The three cases have been before
the highest tribunal since early In the
October term. and the three weeks
recess which expired today 10 believ-
ed to have given the court time to pre-
pare the lengthy decisions required.
While the court has vouchsafed no
animation on the subject It IL general.
~ supposed here that one or more Of
the decisions may be handed down by
the court Monday with the others to
follow on the succeeding Mondays.
The Trust Cases Up.
Tho greatest interest centers in the
trust cases. as throwing further light
on the courts elaborate interpreta-
tons Of the antitrust statute contain
ed IN the voluminous decisions on the
Tobacco and Standard OIL cases.
The suit against the anthracite pool
was brought in the spring OF 1897 and
the intervening Ave years have been
spent in taking testimony before an
examiner and in the hearings in the
United States Circuit Court at Phila-
delphia. from which court the case
came to the Supreme Court. The de-
PENDANTS In the case include the three
Reading Companies, Lehigh Valley
railroad and coal companies, Della
ware. Lackawanna and Western Rail-
road, Jersey Central Railroad. Erie
Railroad. New York, SusQuehanna and
Western Railroad and numerous indie
pendent coal companies.
In the original suit the Government
contended that all the defendants had
long been parties to general comb.
nation and conspiracy which stifled
competition and obstructed trade and
commerce among the States. in an
thracito coal and that they monopO-
lized the trade. The court was asked to
enjoin the defendants. from continuing
the contract by which independent
companies sold their coal to the car
ryinE roads for IS per cent of the
price received for 1t by the railroads
ut the water. and to declare null and
void the acquisition Of stock of coal
companies by the large coal-carrying
In the. dSctsion OF the United States
Circuit Court that tribunal adjudged
the Reading Company and a number
Of railroads through the Temple Iron
Company were in conspiracy and is
sued tho injunction sought. The other
charges. involving practically the
whole trade In an enormous combina-
ton. were dismissed. Both the defend
ants and the government appealed
from this decision to the Supreme
SOUTI Vi tU0 C"tCO 0totCOs
The cotton pool suit. the second of
the antitrust cases in which decision
10 expected soon. was brought by the
government against James A. Patten.
Eugene c. Scales, Frank B. Haynes
and william p. Brown. The Circuit
Court for the District Of Southern
New York sustained demurrers to the
more important counts and the United
States sued out writ of error.
Gxeess Of Prices.
The sustained demurrers had to do
with the charge that the defendants
possessed controlling power, enab.
ling them to charge excess prices.
monopolize the trade and the charge
that they did create q cotton corner
on the New York Cotton Exchange re-
sulting in restraint Of interstate trade.
The case has acquired added interest
from the Democratic protests against
the Governments suit against a bull
ing combination while transit move
ments are left unmolested.
The battle for the Initiative and ref
erendum, the foundation stone Of the
Oregon primary system. was fought
out before the court last fall The case
hangs technically upon claim by the
State Of Oregon to recover $4,000 In
license fees from the Pacific Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company. The
license tax law was enacted on a vote
Of the people on June I. 1906. The de-
PENDANT company in appealing to the