Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-18
The Supreme Court Versus the People


the people without fear Of punishment
In the way nothing has really been
Coal Combinations and the people may expect relief
this latest Coal Trust decision than they Trust
decision decision and the other bumorosy
styled antitrust decisions rendered by reactionary
supreme
The price Of coal will high will go higher The
combination OF the coal roads will continue monopoly and
will become constantly oppressive and extortion
monopoly.
The monopoly will continue operate disregard of the inter
e OF the people and defiance of the will the people as long
Mr. Taft reactona continues decisions
resulting IN the protection of trusts and the perpeuaon monop
oIshc extortion and oppression
The farcca dissolution of the Temple Company an nst
on winch had already served its purpose strangng compe
on and longer Of essential Coal Trust is an
evidence OF the Indifference with which supreme court regards
the people interests and of the contempt which it regards the
peoples intelligence
The attorneys the people could be content with ma ob
empty and insufficient act dissolution certain agencies of the
trust offered as evidence of the combination The attorneys for the
people asked Tor genuine relief for the people, for permanent
Junction against the continuance of the oppressive combination
which the Temple Iron Company the Coal Purchase contracts
proved to exist.
1t that the railroads owned their own mines in
the coal district and that the deliberately killed the
competition of rival coal mines by of discriminating trans
portaon charges
shown that the railroads refused to compete with each
oe IN freight rates that there relief the coal pro
duerS and shippers from universal oppression and dcrm
nation
1t was shown that the attempt rival railroad to secure
re from tins destructive oppression discrimination had been
killed by the joint efforts six Coal Trust railroads united for
tins purpose in the Temple Iron Company.
It was shown that the railroads. through coaeing compa
mes winch they owned maintained uniform high New York
ana or distributing centers responsible high price
OF coal and prevented reduction of price through oppression
1t shown that these railroads established the selling price
oil coal through price circulars issued every at the same
time and with the provisions.
1t that these railroads compelled coal to be sold at
these fixed prices by backstng all coal did not
adhere to these fixed prices
1t that these oppression were SO Grim
NAL IN their character that the agents companies who
attended the meetings authorizing were registered on the
minutes not by their but by numbers like the
pententiary
1t was tnt in ways coal dealers were con
rod and the coal mine forced one v one to sell
out to or combine with the coal railroads
1t that the Reading Railroad by obtaining posses
SION OF the coal mines within its territory and then by absorbing
the New Jersey Central to control 90
product IN the coal mining district
has shown that these railroads and the coal thew Centralized
in combination with the other coal the coal they con-
rod established practically monopoly of the coal
produced delivered and sold throughout by
roads
This whole combination thing which is oppressive to the
coal consumer and which exists defiance the intentions
gfeSS as expressed IN the Sherman Antitrust law yet
whole combination allowed existence under the de
con me supreme court itself recognizes and admits the
enee of the combination and the oppressive the combination
the decision This combination of through
the Temple Iron Company effective The New Wyo
ming and Western railroad successfully STRANGLED and
the monopoly of the transportation collectively held by the de
1endant carrier companies maintained
me combination by means of the Temple Iron Company still
exists has been and still efficient agency collective
activities of the defendant purpose Of preventing
competition IN the transportation and sale of coal in other
Yet what the RESULT
The existence of combination 'STRANGLE" competition
and which existed and still exists for the purpose of STRN
CLING competition, is admitted
But under the dipnsaton supreme court the copbna
o NOT enomed as the attorneys for the people prayed The
guilty railroad presidents who violated the to STRANGIE
competition not marked punishment: competition
not restored The supreme merely dssove instrument
by which, IN the last analysis license continuance of be
monopoly and which the privileged special interests and
dsregards the demands of the people rights of the pep
under the law.