The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1909-12-03
THE STANDARD OIL DECISION

snoksmen for the Standard Oil Company have endeaVoed 70
PASS off the adverse United States Circuit Court decree as Trivial
matter but they hardly be sincere the company ooes m
courts order it will do something more than change m
name and shuttle it's little That trick sufced IN lo9
bo b nreme court of Ohio ordered the monopoly to dssoe
Tut the federal judges the full text OF their decision
appear to have its slippery ways well IN mlnd ana lr
% docra EXPRESSLY TO prevent repetition of that brilliant per-
formance Judge Hook says in his concurng opnoh' t" |
way for the Standard Oil to obey the court VIII e -
turn over to the equitable individual owners all the sareS o SUI
ordinate corporations holds Thus the MINOR copoL
will become truly independent may resume ne conuuo u
affairs, and something like compeutoh VIII NC i "
oil industry says the Oregonan
The aea ,eav aimed at the head of the Standard O Co
pany of New jersey which, since 1899 has become aJ'
of the shares of host of other corporations ~
troeum and its by-products. This concern Is lolouu "
these shares and enioned attempting to exercise any
control ~ tho comnanies it has devoured These minor copa
MES on their part are forbidden pay dividends 10 Ie
are ordered submit in any way TO It's col'
with an eye on the jugge of 1892 the Standard oh
admonhed not to repeat enter into or perform any
bi r. words mean ANYTHING the decree is an effort oy
the circut cor to give profound and far-reachng eecC
Sherman antitrust act of 1890 The Judges declare i"s @
Standard Oil Company has violated both the lisV "
tOns OF this act. t.4ior or
The first section makes illegal every contract
conspiracy in restraint interstate or foreign co
first glance this seems to forbid any combination by W
pany or an Individual might seek to widen BUSINESS 10 ns
acts restrain commerce in certain sense. l ~ - ,,rr
that treStra any
pose of the combination bring it under the Oal = ~;
purpose is clearly TO extend business while the restraint
dental the Sherman act is violated Judge 1ooA '
the point palmer by saying that the restrain mus +ion
Die and merely incidental in order TO MAKE W T+ the
Illegal Perhaps this really help one to underS'a
Court means if we take "apprecable in the sense ol
meaning "weghty" which is not its most uSual c+d
The decision that the principal purpose was not
ard Oil Company in combining the MINOR coi Tho Gov
to extend its legitimate business, but to restrain bd
need not have taken the trouble to prove % ctd
actually been restrained It sufficient to snow Una" @ -
ard had tb o 70 do so The possession Of the power says
the Court implies an intent to it. Otherwise why sd
body bother to acquire But the Government deal
evidence that the Standards restraint Of trade was
more than > mere nffled purpose According to the pn
the prosecution secured rebates from tle oos
contracts limiting the output of competitors Droea w b
Of railroads to betray business secrets and sold It's
low cost 10 destro, comnetion All this looks amazingly m
something more tangible than mere theoretical ability to
trade ;d
The second secon of the an-trust act makes it mlsde