The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-08-08
imposed on Standard Oil
Company for Accept
ing. Rebates.
LAWS TO BE ENFORCED
Staggering Sentence Pronounced by
Federal Judge Lands at Chicago
the Maximum on the 1 1,402 Counts
and the Largest Fine In the His
tory of Jurisprudence.

Chicago, Aug. SIT is the 5udg-
upent and sentence of the Court that
tfe defendant Standard Oil Company
pay o fine of s29.240,000.
1T must not be assumed that in
This jurisdiction these laws may be
IGNORED. If they are not obeyed,
they will be enforced. The plain
demands of justice require that the
scts disclosed In this proceeding
De submitted to grand jury with
, view to the consideration of the
conduct of the other party to these
transactions. Let an order be en-
sered for panel of sixty men re-
surnable at 10 o'clock on the morn
ing Of Aug. IA The United States
Oistrict-Attorney is directed to pro-
SEED accordingly"
{ In these words Judge Kenesaw
Mountain Lands in the United
states District Court fined the
Standard Oil Company of Indiana
y1s,24O,000 for violation of the law
against accepting rebates from
railroads aud ordered the prosecu-
lion Of the railroad-the Chicago
snd Alton--accused of being q party
"a the crime.
The fine is the largest ever ass
assed against any Individual or any
corporation In the history OF juris-
prudence and IS slightly more than
1ne hundred and thirty-one times
Is great as the amount received by
The company through its rebating
operations
The case viii be carried to the
higher courts by the defendant
company or appeal.
Under the seven Indictments still
pcnding against the Standard an adj
aitional fine amounting TO $SS, 40,
900 may be levied against the COM
pany If it il found guilty on trial.
There are In these seven indictments
d total of 4, i22 counts, aud the max
irpum fine in each count would be
$4,000.
Penalty Imposed the Maximum.
The penalty imposed by Judge
Iandis is the maximum permitted
Under the law-S20,O0O on each of
The 1,462 counts. The amount of
The fine is more than Jefferson paid
FOR the Louisiana Purchase, with
Alaska thrown in; more than the
whole Philippine Archipelago cost
he United States in money; greater
hat the net income of five independ-
ent monarchies bordering the Dan
ube and the Mediterranean. Great
wars have been waged on less sums.
The fine is so per cent, of the ann
ual income of the giant trust. All
the wars that Athens and Sparta
fought against invaders and against
each other never cost so much.
The gigantic fine was announced
BY Judge Lands at the end of
long opinion in which the methods
of the Standard were mercilessly
scored. The Judge declared:
"The men who thus deliberately
vtelate this law wound society moro
deeply than does he who counter
fcits the coin or steals letters from
che mail.", ..+.
Judge Lands commenced reading
his decision at 10 o'clock and occu-
pisd about an hour In Its delivery.
H reviewed the facts In tho case.
toek mp the arguments Of tho at
torneys for the defense and answer
ID them and then passed Judgment
upon the company, which he de-
clared, violated the law for the sole
ps@pose Of. swelling It's dividends,
sRry He Could Only Impose . Fine.
The Court held that the railroads
hare no more right to make a secret
rstp for shipper than board Of
ASSESSORS would have to make a
eaeret assessment Of any particular
piece Of .propertv. .s
The Court expressed regret that
the law failed to provide more seri-
ovs punishment than a nne. but
inHsted that the penalty should be
su4nciently large to act as q deter
reot, and not of such a size as to
eneoursge the offender to persist in
laHiessness. a. '..4,4r
II wss at the conclusion Of his
op1pion. and after announcing the
amount Of the fine. that Judge Lam
die, directed that q special grand
Jug be called for the purpose OF
inSriring into the acts Of the Chic.
agp and Alton Railroad, II having
been proved in the case Just closed
the& the oil company accepted re-
bates from that corporation. This
jup Is summoned for Aug. ~.
Johnston Alabama Senator.