The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-07-26

the private car of Mr.. Pierce. 1t is re-
ported upon good authority that the car
was we'll stored with champagne and good
cigars Consultations were held in Sc
eret and no one was ever informed as
to how the negotiations progressed There
were at first differences OF opinion but
slight differences OF opinion were net
allowed TO mar these conferences. We
have Mr.. Pierce's own word for this, ami
no one was in a better position to know
than he. The first conference lasted sew
eral days, and In the meantime the con-
vivial natures OF the conferees were not
allowed to suffer, A judicious use of
champagne and cigars is a powerful ally
to a plausible tongue. The hrst tangible
result of the conference was the postpone
ment for ten days OF the date for serving
the writ of injunction. This was certainly
not required by law or equity. \ common
convict Is treated as a criminal. Why
should not this corporation have been ac-
corded . he same treatment? The ten days
of grace expired and q second. term OF
postponement was asked and agreed TO.
Attempts were made TO compromise the
case pending at Waco against this same
corporation, including suits for penalties
in the sum OF 100000 and criminal pros
ecutidnb against certain officers Of the
corporation and men high in the councils
OF the democratic party appeared and by
ostensibly gratuitous aGyice aided the
Waters Pierce Oil company in their ef-
forts TO escape the wrath of On outraged
law. In a certain we'll known comic OPP
era the ways of the heather Chlnee are
said to be dark and historians of the flu
ture will place the great corporation In
the same category. A governor OF this
State once warned Legislature against
the Establishments of certain corporations,
and it is pity that message was not
couched in general terms and hung In
our public buildings as a constant warn
ing to officials and a perpetual memorial
of the estimation in which that governor
held those pepole whose greatest delight
is to evade our laws and sheer at our IN
situations
The negotiations at Waco were for some
reason abandoned. The existence Of
backbone and a brain in conjunction was
probably discovered, but tie unmarrei
conferences at Austin proceeded and
bore fruit. Mr.. Pierce and his attorney
appeared in Austin on May 80, the day be-
fore the expiration Of the second term OF
grace-and another conference was held
The public was led to believe that on the
next day the judgment of the court would
be enforced, but the next day witnessed
the unfolding of the well matured plans,
and before any one was the wiser, new
permit had been granted to the waters
Pierce Oil company by the State, an' UNI
der this it continues uninterrupted the
business which all the courts had SAID
it should not transact.
Was this vindicaton of the law?
Mr.. Pierce, thanking everybody con-
cerned, FASTENED 10 leave the state, ana
in the councils of the trust magnates on
gala occasions he, no doubt, yeoounts now
he sold a gold brick to the Lone star
State, and there amid ribald laughter
those Jolly souls who work for their own
all he haunting
lest which sits so lightly on the TIP oil
every tongue, toward Texas
In last September there assembled IN
St. Louis. upon invitation of your excel
lency. a council of the governors OF SOW
ereign States, and after discussion IL was
decided there 20 wage an unceaslng war
fare upon the trust in Nation and IN
cta4e The democratic convention which
has recently been held In Kansas CITY as
If inspired by the deliberations and cor
illusions of that council of governors ano
/ following their recommendations, adopleo
nlank relating to trusts and monopoheS
of which the following is the salient led'-
ure: 90 a.,
urceasinc warfare in Nation Aate ana
ci.v against private monopoly In every
form. Existing laws against trusts mus
he enforced and more stringent ones must
be enacted" ,.o,. IN
What right have We as democrats 10
accuse the republicans or lnshceIIOs -
their attitude toward the trusts "heh "a
/ Tho North the leading officials oil deHo
oretia New York own trust stock, ana
In tho South the officials Of Texas reluse
IN enforce antitrust laws against those
! CAUGHT and convicted? What standing mas
tho democracy before the people Wheh
her greatest statesmen condemn ~
matchless Oratory on stump anu ="
forum the doings of the trust and ap'
near as soon as one Is caught and con-
ricted as special friends and champion 10
stav the lust Judgment of. the courts :
what right has the democracy to con-
DOM the doings of the Waters Pierce u'l
COMPANY because 1t buys our cotton sesu.
when we denounce in me finest treazs
OF disdain the same Unitarian argument
as a surrender to base commercials n
when used by the republicans TO JusI -
the war in the Philippines?
No one doubts that the Waters Plero :
oil company dissolved on May rs, 1900
and the Waters Pierce Oil company cndI-
tered on May 20, 1900. are in substance
and effect one and the same. Now; u
this be so, and the attorney general Is
wrong in his Interpretation OF the law
then \ fraud has been and is being prac-
ticed upon the State. for company IS
doing what IT was forbidden to do direct
Nv or. in other words. by a subterfuge, i
lie evading the judgment of our courts
On the other hand, il the Interpretation
Of the law by the attorney general !i
correct. then the State is without an Ell
fective antitrust law. because as soon as
convinced OF violating the law corporl-
ton may dissolve and reineorporate ans
thereby free itself OF the sentence i'm
posed. II the former is true the Waters
Pierce Oil company is evading Just sen
tence OF court and daily committing Goa
tempt OF court by dis0beying the injunc
ton and at the same time precedent Is
becoming established which may rise vi
20 STAY the hands OF future prosecutions
Does your excellency intend to pern-i
, surh an anomalous corIition to continue
In the words of one Of our great demo
crats. uttered in Kansas City recently
, fhe question is shall we fluke or hght''
II vcur excellency Is prepared 10 scce
, offhand the opinion of the attorney gen.
eral then ! submit to you that you hav'
ample justification, and the best inter
ests of the State demand that you con
. yene the Twenty sixth legislature in spe
clal session to remedy a glarlng defect il
our antitrust laws. and one which reI
, ders them as utterly impotent as the mos
, despised eunuoh IN tho sultsn's employ
But / submit it 10 your eXcelieney thu
the better method OF procedure would b
one which would subject the attornel