The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-09-12

AOASdA, Ae1lOSS Is Sdlu " nave re-
marked after the proposition was put
to him and also after some language
more sulphurous had been uttered. IT
am glad to do the steel corporations
legal work, but won't do its politics,
and much less will I do its friends
politics. If it is necessary for me to
become political orderly for corporate
interests in order to hold my job I'll
resign the job"
Kellogg did not resign, nor did he
become political orderly. Outside of
steel he is consistent trust buster.
In the cases instituted under Attorney
General Knox against the western pa
per trust Kellogg was special counsel.
He secured an injunction dissolving it
into the minor concerns which COM
posed it, and this precedent is highly
useful in the st. Louis suit against
Standard Oh. Kellogg's coup put new
life into the Sherman antitrust law.
| which most lawyers supposed had CIV
en- up the ghost. He proved that a law
Is not a dead one SO long as you can
stick pin in it and make a violator
howl.
Mr.. Purdy, by the way, did just
about the same thing to the old Elkins
law, which seems primarily to have
been designed for the protection Of
Wall streeters under the guise of
righteous statute. Purdy resurrected
the Elkins law and used it in putting
quietus on railroad rebating, which
was almost universal.
Verify, he that breatheth the breath
Of life into a defunct statute and
maketh it sit up and kick is of more
value to society than he that taketh a
city by the neck or gobbleth railroad
system.
Another important man in the trust
busting fraternity is Herbert Knox
Smith, commissioner of the bureau of
corporations. This bureau, organized
four years ago, is one Of the most ef-
fect1ve measures for the curling Of
corporate anarchy that we have.
James R. Garfield, now secretary Of
the interior, was the first commission
er. MIR. Smith, who halls from Hart
ford, Conn, was his assistant for
time, going to the head Of the class
when his chief was prom oted to the
cabinet.
Wise Beyond His Years.
Mr.. Smith is not yet thirty-eight
years old, but he is said to possess
wisdom beyond his years. Perhaps
enthusiasm is the filter term. It is his
business to investigate corporations
which lay themselves liable to investi-
cation. OF course he has large and
able staff, but he directs the work.
Just recently he has reported on the
Standard Oil company. His letters of
transmission Of these several reports
to the president are admirable epit-
ONES Of the longer text. The letters
CLEAN with positive statements, such
as these, which are backed up by the
body Of the report:
'The Standard has consistently used
its power to raise the price Of oil dur
ing the past ten years not only abso-
lutely, but also relatively to the cost
Of crude OIL"
'SThe Standard has superior eficien-
cy in running its own business. It has
an equal efficiency in destroying the
business of competitors"
Edwin W. Sims, the young district
attorney for the United States at Chi
cago, whose age is a little less than
that of Mr.. Smith, is notable in the
trust busting battle. He was for q
time assistant commissioner Of the
bureau of corporations. 1t was Sims
who directed the epoch making case
against the Standard Oh which re-
suited recently in fine Of $29,24O, 900
being imposed by Judge Lands.
James G. McReynolds, a Kentucky
born Democrat, living in Tennessee,
Is closely associated with Mr.. Purdy
In the tobacco trust prosecution.