Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-16
SpiCULAIORS WILL SUFFER HARM
Attorney General Believes vlndica.
ton of Law, VIII Not Hurt the
country's Prospcrlty-Mr. TAFT Not
Less Radical Than the President In
His View OF the Oil Trust.
OBy Associated prcas.1


Attorney General. Bonnpartc makes u
siatment regarding the government
policy toward corporations. He SAWS
the number OF corporations and ind-
Vidnals to be prosecuted Is small and
points ont that while the effect Will
be felt by spectators 1t viii not op.
crate 10 undermine the general pros
pcrity of the country,
"rhis statement Is apparently based
upon misrepresentation for which /
do not hold myself responsible. Some
reporters sought To learn from me
how Il S29,000,00O fine could be col
lccted from Sl.OGG000 corporations 1
suggested thai It would hardly do for
me To tell tnem just what steps tho
government might tnke. especially as
1t was clearly premature to consider
the matter before The conviction was
affirmed.
1T was then suggested by one OF
the reporters that If the fines should
bankrupt the company (Standard oil
Company, of lndiana). IA receiver
would have to be appointed to wind
up its affairs. To this replied that
III such event the government. us the
largest creditor. might undoubtedly
have something to say as to who
should he appointed.
"Of course, an officer uf this char
actor might find It necessary to make
in the discharge of his duty In liqul-
dating the affairs of the bankrupt
corporation. some examination of the
looks and business of other corpora.
lions connected with the Standard
| Oil Company. of Indiana. and prob
.illN tlff.. n
To be paid To the suggestion OF the
reporter than it might otherwise have
received.
"In the suit instituted against the
Standard oil Company there was no
prayer for Il rcceivership MS an alter
nate form OF relief after final decree
such as has been prayed iii the tohac-
co and powder trust cases. The bill
of complaint against the Standard Oil
Company did not ask for such II re-
ceivcrship partly, perhaps. because
the idea of these rcceivcrships had
not been suggested at the time the
suit was brought and partly because
the facts We're different from those
in the later cases.
| Whether such an application will he
made later by amendment of the bill
| or otherwise. is something | can say
nothing about now"
Number of Guilty Small.
! In view OF the general decline OF
important stocks and a general fear
of radical antitrust activity by the
government, which has prevailed in
Wall street Mr.. Bonapartc was asked
this question:
! Us the business of the great corpor.
atoms of the country GENERALLY con
Quoted on such unlawful principles
that the prosecutions deemed neces-
sary by the law department of the
United states will unsettlc Industrial
conditions and lessen our prospcrity?r
MIR Bonapartc replied:
FL know of no facts which justify
any such statement. There have been
violations of federal statutes by some
corporations and by some individuals
ana so far as this department can
accomplish H. the guilty corporations
and The guilty individuals will be
brought To trial and, when convicted.
to punishment: but the number of
each is small. ana the vindication Of
the law can, in my opinion, have only
Il beneficial effect on the prosperity
of tho country. although it may de
moraliZo some spccuators''
This interview took place Yesterday
and was sent to Mr.. Bonapnrtc in
Baltimore today for vcrificatiom or
correction if needed II is published
rs finally approved ~ him.
The administration is adverse to
putting ont official statements for the
purpose of affecting the stock market.
even To the extent of helping de.
clming market to recover. and he
cause of this fact Mir. Bonapartc has
not followed suggestions that he make
public the names of the corporations
which have been under investigation
and which the government has dccid.
cd to prosecute. Ills statement that
the number is small is borne out by
The fact that the facilities of the de,
parimcnt are not adequate for 4
Wholesale campaign.
Mr.. Tafts Oil Views.
In an interview printed recently
John ID. Rockefeller was quoted as
praising Secretary Taft as a consery.
alive man. Ac denial of the authcn-