New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-11
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Welt, who instructed that the guns or
the Department Of Justice should be
trained only on the merger Of the two
roads. incidentally, it is now pointed
out by friends of the administration
that Charles S. Mellen, president OF the
New Haven road, was a Roosevelt del
egate to the 1904 convention.
Mr.. Bonaparte never pressed his
emasculated bill, and neither did Mr..
Wickersham. The Massachusetts Leg
islature undertook to pass legislation
which sanctioned the merger, looking
to correct the monopoly by stricter reg
ulation. The Taft administration re-
garded the case minus the steamship
charge too weak TO press. and when the
state legislation was passed nolle
pressed it.
The administration was then con-
fronted with q case similar TO that pre-
scented by the merger of the Tennessee
Coal and Iron Company with the Steel
Trust, for which President Roosevelt
had promised immunity. The restraint
involved in the monopoly Of all COM
peting water competition remained. but
was it Of sufficient gravity to demand
prosecution?
Meanwhile. the disposition OF Con-
gress 10 correct such forms OF monopoly
by legislative enactment became evil
dent. and finally took form in the
Panama Canal bill, which eliminated
the possibility of continued control
Therefore the Department of Justice
abandoned the idea of bringing suit.
The disposition OF the road 10 achieve
monopoly had been clearly estab-
lished. q disposition which, in the opin
ion Of Mr. Wickersham, found it's next
expression I'm the attempted combine
with the Grand Trunk.
Under these circumstances, Mr..
Wickersham is determined that the
present investigation shall be thorough
in every particular and that no one
guilty Of violation OF the Sherman anti
trust law shall escape.
Mellen's Holdings a Factor.
The Interstate Commences Commits
sion's investigation is being directed by
Chairman PTouty personally. and will
cover wide scope. In determining the
reasonableness OF the accountability
for accidents causing loss Of life OF the
New Haven road, the inquiry will go
deep into the financial status OF the
system, and II is regarded probable
that facts revealing high financing"
will be unearthed. A factor In this as
pect of the investigation will be the
personal holdings Of President Mellen
and his connections with minor deal
ings involving the expenditure OF
money for improvements and the cost
of operation.
Another angle Of the Interstate Com
merce Commissions inquiry will be
reports OF the commissions experts re-
garding the rolling stock and roadbed
Of the system. This feature will de-
velop in the consideration OF the ques-
ton Of the urgency OF expenditures
for repairs and improvements, a mat
ter that is always a factor in the fix
ing Of rates and readjustment Of
tariffs.
The question Of ownership OF certain
properties also will necessarily be
taken up by the commission, and owl
dence along this line will be available
for use by the Department of Justice.
Hearings will be held by the COM
mission next week at Boston and fur
Their hearings will take place during
Christmas week. Experts in the en-
ploy Of the commission, including a
force from the division of statistics,
are now engaged in gathering and ar
ranging data dealing with the various
phases of the invest igatiOn