The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-07-06
Oil Men Expect
St. Louis Defeat,
Is Belief Non

Although nobody connected with the
Government will make the statement
directly. there Is strong reason for the
belief that recent moves OF Standard
Oil interests are construed to mean that
the OIL trust expects TO be defeated in
the trust litigation at St Louis.
That the Standard oil Company Of
New Jersey will be held TO be a con-
spiracy in restraint OF trade is no
longer doubted by the Administration
people who have been closely In touch
with the litigation from TIE beginning
At every move the Government thus far
has won It's efforts 10 secure, through
the Bureau Of Corporations and other
wise. the definite evidence needed to
secure conviction. are now known to
have been Unexpectedly successful.
Very little has been given to the public
by way OF analysis and appraisal of
the legal value Of the evidence in hand.
But It can now be said on the best au-
taority that the Government ammuni-
ton is such as seemingly TO make GER
tain It's complete victory over the trust.
Moreover, there Is equally good reason
for the belief that the Standard Oil law
yers have frankly told their clients that
they are In all probability entering their
last fight for the integrity of the trust,
and warned them that now IS the time
20 make plans for the reorganization of
.t,.eir properties and TO organize some
new system of administration. That
their plans are in process of evolution
at 26 Wall street is strongly believed.
Standard Not Giving Up.
This does not mean that the Standard
and its clever lawyers are by any means
giving up the fight. They will employ
with all their accustomed skill the ut
most resources OF experience, brains.
and skill at their command in the effort
to defeat The Government. But the case
is going against them.
Right here arises a most important
question as to the future. A great deal
Will likely depend on whether the actual
majority holding in Standard Oil of New
Jersey is now in the HANDS of the same
men who were trustees for the old
Standard OIL trpst, which was formed
in 1888 and continued until 1899. It is
positively known by the Government
and Will be proved. that these nine trus-
tees owned majority Of the cer;ifi-
Gates Of that trust. John d. Rookie
Teller alone owned about $40, 900. 900 OF
them at the time when the total amount
outstanding was only SlO.0OOOO0
Majority of Stock Question.
But whether the surviving members of
that group continue to hold the majority
of stock in the Standard of New Jersey
is not certainly known. The Govern
ment believes they do; the Standard
people very politely insist that they
do not. If they do not. then a decree
against the New Jersey corporation re-
ouiring It's dissolution and the pro rata
redistribution 10 the original holders Of
the stocks in the subsidiary CORPORA
tions, would result In the substitution
OF seventy corporations for the present
one. and would scatter the control of
these among an immense number OF
holders. But If, on the other hand. the
surviving members OF the old trust con
troll the JERSEY corporation, then a de-
would require them, as the original con-
| spirators, not only to dissolve the cor