The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-09-13
PRESIDENT RoosEvELT's PLAIN
TALK TO ROGERS.
MusT OBEY SHERMAN LAW
Threats Of War by Standard Oil and
Steel Combine Do Not
Frighten Him.

/ Washington, Sept. 12.-President
Roosevelt has defied the Standard Oil
company and the United States Steel
corporation, and informed Henry H.
Rogers, acting for the Rockefellers,
! that the law cannot be trified with.
Mr.. Rogers recently visited Presi-
dent Roosevelt to learn if action under
! the Sherman act would be continued
until the United States Steel corpora
tion was dissolved.
| Mr.. Roosevelt told him that the law
would take its course, whereupon Mr..
Rogers threatened war, but the presi-
dent bluntly told him that, war or no
war, the law must be strictly enforced
Two personal friends of President
Roosevelt have given accounts practi-
cally identical, of what passed be
tween Mr.. Rogers and Mr.. Roosevelt
when the former broached the subject
to the president.
The journey from 26 Broadway, New
York, to the national capital was at
tended with all the precautions against
publicity which generally characterize
Mr.. Rogers movements, Secretary
Loeb was not apprised OF the oil mans
contemplated visit, and was unaware
of his presence in the city until note
reached him from Mr.. Rogers request
ing an audience with the chief execu-
tive. Mr.. Rogers name did not ap-
pear on the register at the hotel where
he stopped.
Alarmed by Merger Suit.
When the millionaire was ushered
into Mr.. Roosevelt's presence, he said
that. the decision of the court in the
Northern Securities case and the pol
icy Of the administration in pressing
the matter to the last extent, had
aroused grave apprehension in the
minds of himself and his associates,
John D. Rockefeller and William Rock
efeller. He had been informed, he
said, that Mr.. knox was contemplating
suit, under the Sherman act, against
the United States Steel corporation,
with view to its dissolution after the
manner in which the Northern Securi-
ties had been forced to dissolve. Not
only did he and his colleagues desire
to be reassmred of the immunity of the
steel company from attack, but they
wanted frank statement OF the policy
of the administration.
The president summoned Attorney
General Knox, and Mr.. Roosevelt ex-
pounded his views on the trust ques-
tion. Mr.. Knox interrupted occasion
ally to interpolate suggestion or
elucidate what he deemed ambiguous.
The president told the financier that
the administration had no intention
of running amuck" among all the
combinations that had been formed in !
recent years! 1t was realized, he said, |
that if suits were to be immediately
instituted against all the corporations |
whose legality under the latest de-
cision was open to doubt, financial |
panic might ensue. Every care, he de-
clared, would be exercised by the ad-
to avoid precipitating fl
nancial disturbance.
But if the large financial interests,
relying for immunity upon the solici-
.ude of the president for the general
public, refused to comply with the
aw, then the responsibility would not
'est upon the president.
Law interpreted.
The Northern Securities case hal
oeen pressed by the attorney general
'aid Mr.. Roosevelt, not because there
vas malice toward particular interests
md desire to discriminate, nor to
sain public approval as trust smash
er, but in order that the law might De
Interpreted by the highest court
The law being no longer matter OF
loubt, the president told Mr. Rogers !,
hat the attorneys for the United /
States Steel corporation probably
NEW whether or not the concern was
contrary to the statute. II the corpo-
alton was organized in violation OF
he statute now interpreted by the