The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-06
1|L TRUSTS spy
\ METHODS SHOWN
Attorney Morrison Produces Papers
On Which Independent Ship
ments Were Recorded.


q. Morrison almost at the opening OF
his argument in the Standard OH
f case sprung a sensation that made the
d standard Oil lawyers suddenly straight
( m themselves In their chairs and take
q renewed interest in the proceedings.
Morrison laid on the table bundle
4 OF papers which he said were reports
Of the railroads 10 the Standard show
. ing the shipments Of independents.
The papers were reports made on
regular printed forms showing the
amount OF shipment. the name OF the
[ independent company and the point
nom and TO which the goods were
A consigned.
The competitive department was de-
ocribed by the attorneys as the spy
r department.
Rosenthai, the $1,000 a day attorney
+ oe the big oil company. looked up with
sudden interest when the papers were
laid on the clerks desk and paid
closer attention to Morrison as he
continued:
THE Standard" said Morrison,
from its Office, No. 20 Broadway
keeps In touch with the financial
Z world and crushes competitors at will
4 One OF the most important depart
ments IL its statistical bureau. where
3 Il keeps record OF every barrel OF
OIL shipped by an independent.
Through the knowledge furnished by
this department, 1t can reach and
{ crush competitors"
III the government succeeds IT.
procuring an order restraining the sub
ordinate corporations from paying
dividends to the Standard. II will hold
in its hands an instrument with which
It can AZ will destroy the integrity
/, Of every big enterprise in the United
Z States"
Attorney Moritz Rosenthal, mouth
piece Of the oil company. thus voices
the opinion OF magnates he represents.
Not only may the Standard Oil Co.
be dissolved. but also the railway
. mergers. steel trust, fish trust and
MI the great trusts that control the
x supply OF the necessaries OF life. The
dissolving OF these organizations. in
the opinion OF the Standard advisers.
4. will demoralize capital
The government expects to finish
the presentation of its case this after
noon. The program for the day is
that Kellogg finish by noon and Spe-
cial Counsel Charles b. Morrison will
present his argument during the after
noon. At their hotels before court
: convened this morning, the four pre-
siding judges glanced over the brief
OF fact Of the defense. This was filed
IN three paper volumes OF 500 pages
after yesterdays adjournment. II
deals with the origin, ownership and
y development of the Standard Oil Co.
and gives q history of the companies
acquired subsequent to the trust agree
& ment.
II rebuts all allegation OF conspir-
acy In restraint Of trade and OF resort
to unfair methods. On the ground
that no proof has been adduced
against the Galena Signal Oil Co.. OF
Franklin, Pa, the Standards lawyers
ask for dismissal of the charges
against that company. This concern
supplies most of the railroads OF the
country with lubricating oil.
The brief OF law which the de-
fense will file today outlines the argu.
ment by which Rosenthal and his col
leagues believe they will be able TO
wrigsle out Of the net of allegations
the government has made against
them. 1t IL the most important Of
. the documents the defense will file
n ka0 VIA OutIhc W TIC COuiI Tue iSBdi
line OF their defense.
The Standards brief says:
The law under which the govern
ment is proceeding In this case is that
Of the Sherman antitrust act. The
provisions or the act are that a trust
Ds constituted by the uniting OF com
petitfve interests under one organ
Ixation for the purpose Of ending COM
{ petition and restraining others from
Engaging In the same trade. The
merging OF many concerns under a
y common ownership, not changing the
/. identify of the owners, but simply the
form under which they hold them j.
not q trust.
'One owner or group OF owners may
own and operate an industry In Its
entirety without violating the law.
Proof in the case shows that the same
group Of owners who hold the sixty
hine subsidiary companies own the
principal corporation. No trust In re-
ntraint of trade can exist under the
\ cnditions cited and the governments
application OF the Sherman act has no
force"