The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-05

Ientnusiasm for punishment on the part
OF Judge Lands which a conservative
court will be disposed to regard crit
llcaIly: If the Chicago & Alton railroad
and the Standard Oil company entered
into criminal conspiracy their Off
Gals should be put in Jail, but the
standard, however. rich and powerful
u may be, is entitled to just as careful
consideration from the courts as if it
were poor and bankrupt notwith-
standing the fact that any punishment
whatever inflicted upon 1t al this time,
| even to utter confiscation of all its
property. would meet with a shout of
/ approval.
| PHILADELPHIA PRESS.
| Neither the larger public of Ameri-
/ can citizens nor the narrower public
OF shareholders mead fear that either
the corporation can secure any legal
| right or immunity to which it is not
entitled, or that any it has the right to
claim will be denied it. 1t has been
| ably defended by lawyers far more
conspicuous and better paid than those
| representing the peoples law, a jury
1 has passed upon its guilt, and if Judge
Lands has made any mistakes in in
terpreting the law they are subject to
review by higher courts. By the size
of the fine Judge Lands undoubtedly
has added to the disputed issues of g
case already full of them. No prosper
| ity can be safe save under equal laws.
One object of the law under which this
/ fine is levied is to secure justice and
protection of equal rights in trans
portation. Heavy as the fine is, it is
none too great if the courts decide
and two more have yet to pass upon
it-that it is both lawful and deserved.
PITTSBURG LEADER.
In the case against the Standard
the fine was the only option with the
court and it is to the credit OF Judge
Lands that he imposed the maximum
penalty 1t is to his credit because
the Standard Oil officials, while deny
ing for years that they accepted re-
bates from railroads, were demanding
and receiving rebates all the time.
They were doing this, depending upon
their money to save them from pun
ishmentS should the law be evoked
against them. The maximum penalty
was demanded in their case if it was
ever demanded in any case, and Judge
Lands has done much to strengthen
public respect for both the courts and
the law by imposing it.
BALTIMORE AMERICAN.
From the general public this great
monopoly will get no sympathy. 1t is
commonly regarded as the worst of all
trusts, the most defiant and daring OF
all monopolies.-1 It has set state as
well as federal law at naught, has |
corrupted statesmen and lawmakers, |
has bribed members of legislatures, |
tempted railroads and other corpora |
tons into wrongdoing for its own |
profit. By such methods as these it |
oil market of this country but of the |
world. In attaining this, it has |
crushed out opposition by most brutal |
methods, driven thousands of small |
dealers into bankruptcy; not a, few to !
suicide. 1t has piled up so many mil |
lions for it's creator, John D. Rookie
Teller, that he cannot count them, and |
the enormous sums he has given away |
for education or charity are but |
drop in his ever overlooking bucket
KANSAS CITY JOURNAL.
1t is not probable that the |
enormous fine assessed by Judge
Lands will be allowed to
stand. In the first place, the circum-
the judges melodramatic attitude and /
his seeming partisan bias, give the
idea that so far as he is concerned the
prosecution is rather more political
than judicial; and this complexion is Il
heightened by the talk of his having
Caught the popular favor" and that
his action has placed him In line for
the presidency In the next place, the ID
the fact that many other shippers
were awaiting themselves of the same
rates and no attempt has been made II
to prosecute them. The practice of
accepting rebates was common
throughout the country at the time
the offense was committed, and ev-
cry shipper who could awaited himself
Of the opportunity. 1Rebating had Re-
come a custom in the transportation
business. 1t is Improbable that the
appellate courts will consider a max
Imum penalty justifable for what was
regarded as a venial Of
Tense.
now and so the imposition of such a
heavy penalty can hardly be regarded
as necessary to deter the defendant or
other shippers from repeating the Of
tense in future |,