El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
Oil Octopus Faces a Crisis in
It's History in Fight Now
on in the Supreme Court.

Washington, d. G. March 12-The
most serious legal battle that Stand
ard Oil" has ever faced will confront II
next Monday.
That Is the day set by the supreme
court of the United States to hear argu-
ments on the appeal of the Standard Oil
company of New Jersey from the ad-
verse judgment of the--United States
circuit court for the eastern district OF
Missouri, which ordered the dissolution
of the New Jersey corporation as an
illegal combination and monopoly in re-
straint of interstate commerce. To
point out the alleged errors of the cir
cult court in its findings and in its de-
cree the keenest intellects within COM
mand have been procured. To argue for
the affirmance of the decision of the
lower court, Mr.. Wickersham. the att
torney general Of the United States,
himself will lead a brilliant array of
counsel for the government
Circuit Courts Findings.
The circuit court announced grave
defendants, John d. Rockefeller. Will
lam Rockefeller. Henry M. Flagler.
Henry II. Rogers. John d. Archbold.
Oliver II. Payne and Charles NJ. Pratt,
the Standard Oil company of New Jer-
sey and other defendant companies
The court found that IN 1899 by an
exchange of stock by the seven in
dividuals, the Standard OIL company of
New Jersey acquired the legal title to &
majority OF the stock Of 19 companies
which in turn controlled a large number
of others. all but one engaged in the
oil business.
What the Court Found.
What 1t found as to this combination
was fhis:
That since 1899 the affairs of all
these companies have been managed by
the principal company as the business
of a single person, so as to fix for them
the price of crude OIL. the rates for
transportation and the selling prices of
and the selling prices Of its products.
That the par value Of the combined
capital stock in 1893 was about $780,
100000. and that in 1903 it was $780,
100000.
That II of these companies owned ga
sos miles OF pipe lines.
That six of these companies had 1874
selling stations throughout the United
States.
That these companies. from 1899 TO.
1907 produced more than one-tenth of
the crude oil obtained IN this country.
That they owned and operated more
than one-half of all the tank cars used
10 distribute its products.
Controlled Oil Output.
That they manufactured more than
three-fourths of all the crude oil re-
N he T-r,ft.
That they transported more than
four-fifths of the petroleum derived
from the Pennsylvania and Indiana oil
fields
That they marketed more than four
fifths Of al the illuminating oil sold in
The United States.
That they exported more than four
fhths of all the ILLUMINATING oil sent
forth from the United States.
That they sold more than four-fifths
or all the naphtha sold in the United
That they sold more than nine-tenths
OF all the lubricating oil sold to rail-
road companies in the United States.
Conspiracy to Restrain Trade.
On this finding the court decreed:
mat the organiza ton of 1899 was al
combination or conspiracy In restraint
OF interstate commerce in petroleum
and us products, such the first sec
llon OF the Sherman antitrust act de-.
clares Is Illegal; that the seven indivld-i
uai deIendants, the Standard OIL com.
pahy' OF New Jersey and 80 other com
panles had entered into combination |
or conspiracy to Nnonopolize and had in |
lact monopolized a substantial part OF |
interstate commerce in violation of the |
second section of the Sherman anti.
MI
cuseo were proved not TO be in this |
The court enjoined the principal COM