The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-04-15
GOVERNMENT MILL
: GRINDING ON TRUSTS
New Administration Push
ing Cases Started Under
Last Regime.
BUSINESS METHODS
USED BY OFFICIALS
Attorney General Has Same Pro-
cedure as in Private
Cases.

The tangled skein of legal proceedings
against the so-called bad trusts"
which had its beginning in the Roose-
Wilt Administration, is gradually being
unwound.
Final arguments have been completed
in one dissolution suit, that against the
Terminal Railway Association of st.
Louis, and others are now in progress
in the greatest OF all the "trust-bust-
ing'' actions, that against the Standard
OIL Company; the taking OF testimony
in four other big suits is being pushed
rapidly, and the new Attorney General
and his assistants are consulting from
time to time relative to the evidence
in each case and the policy that the new
head Of the Department of Justice pro-
poses TO follow out
Attorney General WlcKersham is opeT-
ating the soft PEDAL in the matter OF
publicity. He says he can see no rea-
son why the same methods should not
be adopted for the Governments legal
machinery as have been found essential
FOR the success Of a large private prac-
tice. This. contrasted with the methods
of his predecessors, has given rise 10 an
impression that the Roosevelt trust poll
cies are to be side-tracked. The Attor-
ney General and his chief trust-buster,
Wade Ellis. Ohio's former attorney gen
eral. who whipped certain trusts 90
standstill in the Buckeye State, warmly
resent any such imputation. They have
heard it. for it has been banded back
and forward in official. financial, and
newspaper circles for weeks.
No Fanfare Wanted.
In working out his idea that in all
future prosecutions there should be
omitted "the customary fanfare as ne
has expressed il to some of his friends.
Mr. Wickersham meets every inquiry
relative TO trust matters with the dec
laration made the first few days of his
administration. that the Government
will press all suits in court In which the
evidence warrants such action and that
ST any cases are found in which the
Judgment of the law office is against
further litigation. he viii not hesitate
TO have the proceedings abandoned.
He put his o. X. upon the brief Of the
Government in the Standard Oil disso-
luton suit and he viii keep his eyes
upon the following actions:
The anthracite cOaI-carrying railroads.
in which testimony in behalf Of the
Government is GOV being introduced be-
fore special commissioner appointed
by the circuit court at Philadelphia;
The so-called Powder trust. IN which
the Government has Just concluded the
introduction Of direct testimony before
n commissioner appointed by the circuit
court at Wilmington, Del;
The Union Pacific and other HarTi-
man railroads, Ia which the introduc-
ton of testimony for the Government
will be resumed at Salt Lake City be-
fore the commissioner appointed by the
circuit court at that place
Decisions Reserved.
The Attorney General is not ready to
announce what decision he has reached
concerning the dissolution suit against
the New York. New Haven and Hart
ford Railroad Company and others It
IS still insisted by high authority that
the case will be abandoned in the. near
fkture- The evidence is understood to
be far short OF satisfying the new Au-
ministration, and 1t would not be sur
prising II the case should never reach
tie circuit court at Boston. even II the
raling OF testimony before a commits
Eioner should be completed
II is no easy task that confronts the
new Attorney General Entering Office
at time Of sharp criticism in financial
and industrial circles against the meth
DDS Of his predecessor, surrounded By
legal advisers OF standing, but person
ally unknown 10 him. and confronted
with an almost overwhelming array Of
important prosecutions. he has been
fighting his way out OF the deluge Of
tNAIttEt. tplAtItnCE5s applications 1OE
Offices, and departmental routine.
Many Trials Ready.
On various court calendars are scores
OF cases other than those enumerated
which must shortly come TO trial The
majority OF them have been brought
under the EIkins anti-rebate law In
these the Standard OIL Company is in
bad. There are seven prosecutions
against IL I'm the western district OF
New York. one with $50 counts and an
other with ia There are six cases
against IL I'm the northern district OF
Illinois. The Waters-picrcc company
must fight two suits en- the eastern dis
trict Of Missouri. There are four suits
IN the western district OF New York
against the Vacuum oil Company. IN
one OF which there are 1s8 counts in
another 20. and in another 81
The New York Central. the I.acka-
wanna. and the Pennsylvania railroads
are fighting prosecutions in the western
district Of New York. Other suits are:
Two against the Santa Re. in southern
California: two against the New York
Z Chicago and 81. Louis. In northern
Illinois: three against the Southern Pa
Cihc. IN southern California. and sew
cral cases against the Southern Pacific
in northern California on counts rang
ing from 20 30. one Of IS counts
against the ST. Louis. Iron Mountain
and Southern Railway Company. and
the Missouri Pacific in the eastern dis
trict OF Arkansas. and numberf Of
suits against corporations In Virginia,
Illinois, and California