New-York tribune., 1907-09-22
PROGRESS OF BIG SUIT.
GOVERNMENTS PROBLEMS
Victory Would Be Only Start Of
Fight to Diss0lre STANDARD.

There will be no temporizing with the Stand
ard Oil Company of New Jersey. lawyers for
the government declare nor will there be any
delay in forcing the dissolution of the trust, If
the suit now under way has a successful issue
IL will be some time, however, il IS admitted
before the Standard Oil Company will be forced
to split up again into seventy component cor
porations, If the government is legally able
to attach the stigma of monopoly upon 1t. The
present hearing in this city. the first of series
to be held in various cities and towns to be de-
signed later when witnesses may be reached
whose testimony will be needed 10 prove the
monopoly. will probably require another fort
night TO get out all the facts that are pos
sible TO be had from persons in this jurisdiction
Where the next hearing will be held has not as
yet been determined, and It IS impossible as yet
70 say what point will next be selected for the
examination.
Under the order Of the United. States Circuit
Court for the Eastern Division of Missouri.
where the government filed it's bill OF complaint.
the special examiner was directed 10 hear all
the evidence obtainable before presenting 1t to
three judges of the court for examination. This
will make it necessary for Judge Ferriss and the
governments attorneys 10 make a grand tour
of the country. at least Of the most important
cities
case will be thrashed out all over again In the
Missouri Court and there bound to be in
evitable delays IN getting the witnesses. The
preliminary taking Of testimony and the hear
ing Of the case before the United States Circuit
Court in ST. Louis will take a year at least and
the twenty-seventh President of these United
States will probably have taken up his residence
in the White House before the three judges of
that court hand down their opinion.
STANDARD MIGHT APPEAL.
No one imagines for moment that II the de-
cision Of the court is adverse to the Standard
Oil Company OF New Jersey that corporation is
going to accept the result 1neekIy. The fight to
prevent governmental interference with the COM
bination at present constituted will certainly
be carried 10 the United States Supreme Court
in Washington, where the battle will be long and
bitter.
It may be years before that court will deter
mine whether there is oil trust in this coun-
try or not, the Rockefellers. the Flaglers. the
Paynes. the Pratts the Rogerses the ArchboIds.
the Bostwicks and the rest OF the princes of
Standard Oil will not have to worry Just at pres
ent about cutting down OF their substantial
income which has gone on increasing year by
year for the last quarter of century. For oil
is oil, and 1t is still used a considerable ex-
tent and will probably continue to be used dur
ing the long litigation over the Standards con-
troll of it
If the highest court in the land rules that the
Standard is a trust and has a monopoly OF the
oil business. then will come the question Of
how the trust is going TO be broken up into
seventy corporations. which will strive with
might and main each 10 get what business II
can IN its own field.
There are many ramifcations I'm the hold
ings Of the stocks OF the companies which go to
make up Standard OIL that 1t is going to be a
fine task TO determine just how the companies
are to be permanently and really separated and
compelled to be competitors of each other.
Is, for instance. John D. Rockefeller. as an
influential stockholder in the Corsicana Refin-
ing Company. Of Corscana, Tex, going to do
all in his power TO get all the business in that
state away from the Security OIL Company. of
the same state, in which he also has substan-
tial interest? AS a stockholder In the Waters