New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-02
AGAINST THE STANDARD OIL
IT'S TRUST AGREEMENTS UNLAWFUL.
DECISION OF THE OHIO SUPREME CoURr-THE
COMPANY NOT DEPRIVED OF ITS COR
PORATION RIGHTS. HOWEVER.

PORATION RIGHTS. HOWEVER
Columbus. Ohio, March THE Supreme Court Of
Ohio in the OF the state Of Ohio ex rel. Attorney
General Watson against the standard Oil Company
handed down u decision to-day OF importance con-
corning trusts This case instituted BY petition
In quo warranto to GUST The company from Its cor
porate rights and to forfeit Its franchise. The judy
ient OF the court Is ~ GUST the company nom the
right to make the trust agreements set forth in the
petition and of the power TO perform the same This
Is all the Attorney General desired. lie rad no AMI.
mostly toward the company and did not desire TO
deprive it Of corporate rights enjoyed By others.
Under the decision the company will be allowed TO
continue corporate powers for which Joseph II. ChOate
argued in behalf of the company.
The decision OF the Supreme Court sustalns the
Attorney Generals demurrer to the answer Of the
Standard which set up the defence that the trust
agreement was entered into by individuals and not
by the company rs a corporation holding franchise
While the decision does not GUST the company from
its franchise. IL prohibits them from In any way
agreements under trust contracts.
The Attorney General OF y York has papers ready
to fle against the standard that state, prepared III
contemplation OF this deci on.
The announcement yesterday that the Ohio Supreme
Court had decided 10 a certain extent against the
Standard OIL Company in the quo proceedings
did not cause much uneasness among the officers OF the
company who are In New-York. They hardly ex-
pected that the decision rendered would be what II
Is but ut the same time they say will not AFFECT
the business Of the company interfere with any OF
its plans.
S. C. #. Dodd the general solicitor Of the Standard
OIL Company, was Informed by telegraph yesterday OF
the decision and when BY Tribune reporter at
his home ut No. AZ East Sixty fourth-st last evening
he talked freely about the
Tho decision Of the Ohio court does not deprive
the Standard OIL Company OF Its charter In ONO, as
some people would be led to suppose after reading
some OF the press dispatches" said Mr. Dodd "Under
the peculiar statutes Of Ohio the court has right
to say that the agreements between the Standard OIL
Company Ohio and other oil companies In other states
should exist. The Judge In this case has seen TIT
to say that agreements Illegal and the COM
many will certainly have 10 withdraw them. The
case could be carried to the Supreme Court OF the
United States, but do not think that such step
will be taken. The decision Is most important one
to u.s. but we shall not TAKE the trouble 10 carry the
matter any further In the courts. That Is, tnink
that way at present and | do not think anything
will come up to change my mind
The point ut issue In the case was this: The
Attorney General claimed that the agreement which
the standard OH Company had with other companies
was an agreement between corporations. We claimed,
however, that it was an agreement between stock
holders, but the court, | see, has taken the Attorney
Generals view Of the case.
THE agreements that were made, th0ugh, were
not brought about because they we're necessary In
stead OF being a Necessity they were simply matter
OF convenience 10 the standard oil and Others con-
cerned and the only effect the decision VIII nave
will be to Inconvenience Us a litre'