Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-04
sroBAccor HEARING OPENS.

0overnmsnt Seeks Receiver 70 segre.
aats Corporations in Combination.
Washington, Jan. Argument was
begun in the supreme court Of the
United States In one of the govern
ments biggest 'trust busting suits.
The tobacco trust" is on trial. The
government seeks its destruction and
the appointment of a receiver to seq
regate the sixty odd corporations, now.
part Of the combination, and once
again restore competition in the to-
bacco industry.
Special Attorney ]. c. MacReynolds
opened the argument and Attorney
General Wiekersham will close it. The
government desires that the opinion
of the supreme court shall go further
than that Of the circuit court of New
York which adjudged all except a few
Of the foreign corporations and several
individuals guilty of illegal monopoly in
restraint of trade. and that it shall
strengthen the Sherman antitrust law
with sweeping decision against pred
atory combinations.
Mr. MacReynolds, in his argument,
traced the history of the trust, of
it's operations and its Vaccinations.
He declared that at the present time
sixty odd corporations representing a
capital OF 100000, 600. are parties to
the combination and that it's tentacles
extend over the whole world, engulfing,
in the United States at least, the inde-
pendent or small dealer, destroying
free competition and debasing the in
dustry.
..In pursuance Of this purpose to ac-
Quire monopoly Of the industry" said
AR g.
practiced unfair trade methods and ex-
ercised duress. They used their greater
power in oppressive ways; they have
been actuated by a fixed purpose to de-
stroy competition and obtain monopo-
lies. Competitors have gradually dis
appeared and the combinati ton, now
strongly entrenched, unduly restricts
the business of those in the trade and
prevents others from entering. Com
petition has been persistently de-
remove the mischief brought about by
them"
MacReynolds was very in-spoken
wicked methods" "sinister agen-
cies'f and ..iniquitous practices inhab-
1tated by unstinted consciences," were
some OF the terms he used.
]. He declared that the advertising hill
OF $10,000.000 (spent in 1906 by the
trust) was more to influence business
and public sentiment to the belief that
there was no combination existing.
In his arraignment MacReynolds
summed up the grip which the
trust" has on the entire tobacco in
distry by showing that it controls alb
splutely the manufacture and sale Of:
All the cigarets for export; practi-
calIy all Of the SNUFF and little cigars;
three fourths OF the smoking tobacco,
and cigarets for domestic sale; more
than three-fourths Of the plug, twist
and fine cut tobacco; As per cent of the
licorice paste product, product abso-
I luteiy necessary In the manufacture of
them; three -fourths Of the output Of
! TIN foil; = great deal Of the box man
ufacture, tobacco machinery. pipes,
I contafners. etc.
After addressing the United States
supreme court almost three hours and
. half. ia the tobacco trust case, Spe-
cipl Assistant Attorney General Nc
Reynolds concluded his argument In
tha Prosecution Of the case early this
afternoon and was followed by De-
Iancey Nicol of New York, who spoke
u behalf - the tobacco company.
s9e3'lss g 4 r.