The Washington herald., 1906-12-22

New York, Dec 21-It is declared on
apparently good authority in legal circles
here that the Standard OIL Company has
prepared bombsheu for the govern
ment lawyers who viii start the case 70
dissolve the greatest corporation on earth
next January at st. Louis.
Ihe company's attorneys Will try To
show that a. trust has already been
oisSolved' IN so far as it Is in conflict with
the Federal law. They will present evi-
denee. it is said. to prove that thesstand-
ard Oh Company, Of New Jersey. the
great holding company for the Standards
interests, has practically given Up all
stock Of constituent concerns.
The principal case for the government
TO come up at st. Louis IS for the disso-
luton Of the New Jersey corporation
which for many years owned a major
ity, If not practically all, of the stock
OF the ten great selling. refining. and
distributing companies Of the Standard.
the concerns which come IN contact with
the public
This method Of conducting q mononoIz
by holding cOmpany-was declared
Illegal by the Supreme Court cf tho
United States in the famous Northern
Securities case. II is now learned that
shortly after that decision the whole
scheme Of the Standard oil trust organ
lzauon underwent gradual but radical
transformation.
Stock Of constituent companies which
had been in the name Of the Standard of
New Jersey Is now, 1t is declared. held
IN the names Of individual great of1cials
u the concern, and in some cases in the
names OF mere clerks.
Problem for the Government.
What answer the attorneys for the gov
eminent viii make To this new conten-
ton Of the trust is not yet known. The
case is in the hands Of Flank A. Kel-
!ogg, of Minneapolis and J. 2 Morrison.
OF Chicago, who have been employed by
the Attorney General Of the United
States TO conduct the prosecution II IS
known that these lawyers are familiar
with the situation, but they have not out
lined their plans.
The bin filed against the New Jersey
company by the Federal government all
leges that the concern holds the stock Of
seventy-two distinct corporations. which
practically control the oil business Of the
country. This. it is declared. is in re-
stTatnt Of trade. and therefore falls m
der the laws by which the Northern
Securities Company vas dissolved. But
when the government is confronted 10y
the fact that most Of the stock of these
companies is now held by private indf-
viduals the case will assume a remarkable
aspect
It is due To the tremendous efforts OF
Attorney General Hadley that this n-s,y
phase OF Standard OH ingenuity has come
high officials OF the Standard 10 show
that all Of the stock of three big selling
is nov held by individuals.
Years ago it was admitted by Standard
Oil men that one Of these concerns WIS
owned by the Standard Oil Company Of
New Jersey.
Three Big Companies.
These three companies are the Standard
OIL Company OF Indiana, the Waters
Pierce Oil Company. and the Republic Oil
Company. It is the Standard OF Indiana
whose stock was once held by the Stand
ard Of New Jersey. The Republic stock
and that of the Waters Pierce Concern.
was acquired by the trust after the new
method Of organization had been decided
on. These three concerns control most OF
the oil business west Of the Allegheny
Sountains-ai the way to the Rockies
and between the Canadian boundary line
and Central America. They do millions
)f dollars worth Of business each year.
The other great selling concerns Of
the trust are said 10 be the Standard
II California the Continental. the
Of Kansas, the Standard OF
New York, the Atlantic Refining Com
Dany, the Dominion Company of Can
ada, and the New Jersey corporation.
The stock of most Of these concerns, 1t
has been declared. was originally
owned by the Standard Of New Jersey.
Now Held by Individuals.
Il am satisfied from the evidence
llready brought out that the govern
nent viii find when its case shall come
ip that most of the stock Of most OF
hese concerns is now in-the hands of
said an official who has
loosely followed the evidence adduced
" Attorney General Hadley.
The stock of the Waters-Pierce Com
ANY. 1000 shares. is now largely in
he hands of N. n. Van Buren. He
Olds 1850 shares This had pre-
iously been held in trust by II. CLAY
'ierce, one Of the founders of the con-
ern.
What promises 20 be the last hear
lg in the suit brought by Mr. HadIev
o dissolve the trust in Missouri is TO
g held in the Southern Hotel, ST.
,Ouis. on January =