The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-14
FATE OF TRUST
HANGS BY THREAD.
Standard Oil Co. on Trial Be-
fore u. S. Supreme
Court
HISTORY OF CONCERN
READS LIKE FICTION
Investment of $4,000, 900 Reaps
Profits of $54s, 436, 446 in Tween
ty-four .Years-Goyernment
Complaint Voluminous.

WASHINGTON. D. c.. March IL
The governments biggest trust bust
ing suit against the biggest corpora
ton II. the United states, the Stand
ard OIL Company of New Jersey. 10
scheduled 10 be argued before the
Supreme Court of the United States
beginning late this afternoon.
Upon the verdict Of the highest
tribunal depends the life or death of
the Sherman antitrust law. as we'll
as the life or death OF the Rockefeller
combination and other similar alleged
monopoiies.
The present litigation Involves thir-
ty-seven distinct corporations, which
the Standard OH Company of New
Jersey either owns outright or in
part. and six NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. d.
Rockefeller. William Rockefeller,
Henry M. Fiagler, John u. Archboid.
oliver H. Payne and Charles NJ
Pratt--thc total of whose capital
reaches into staggering millions of
dollars.
In November, 1906. that the gov
eminent fled in the Circuit Court
for the Eastern District of Missouri,
it's bin of complaint recfting an amaz-
Ing story of high finance. market
manipulation. price cutting. railroad
Relating and ether alleged violations
Of the lax and asking for tina disso--
isstior If the trust.
Three years later. on November 20.
aaaa, the Circuit Court, after hear
ing the arguments Of some OF the
beet legal talents In the country and
rexeisi ing thousands OF pages of print
ed testimony, gathered throughout
the country under special commits
stoner. sustained practically every
contention of the government An
appeal Was immediately taken TO the
Supreme Court Of the United states
~ the def sndant company It wan
6ocketed Early in the present term
And set for hearing for the week be-
ginning to-day.
story Like Fic,ion.
The monster brief fi.ed by the gov
ernraent IN the ease filling two vol
,irnes OF over 500 pages each. recites
d history Of thu combine fFaFa fts
inception In 1870 that reads like fic-
ton,
Siafy.nIne million dollars MAS ali
that was ever invested In the Stand
ard ott Company, except portion Of
the earnings. aud Yet the government
brings evidence. that out na this cam
perattvely small Investment has
grown dividends aggregating the stu
pendous total Of S54s.43s.4s6 from.
1852 To 1906. Not only this. but IN
1906, according To admitted figures,
tho Standard OIL Company had sur
Pits OF s26l.os1.s1l in hand in
1905 a dividend of 40 per cent. was
declared.
Here are q few OF the alleged ini-
cuitses upon which the arguments
Of the governments counsel Will De
based:
Refusal OF pipe lines controlled by
and accept Independently manufac-
tured oil.
Relating. secret rates and other
railroad determinations as an aid
to the monopoly.
Monopolixed all the oil business
with the railroads.
Destroyed independent competition
by price cutting. by granting of re-
bates TO individual customers and hy
operating bogus independent con-
cerng.
Established system of espionage
throughout the nation, wherein,
every detail OF their competitors
business was made known to the ON
cial OF the trust.
Dissolution Ordered.
The unanimous decision Of the Mis-
souri Court was that the Standard
OH Company WAS q monopoly. The
court enjoined the holding company
from voting stock II held In substd-
harry corporations, or receiving dtSf-
dends from them. and ordererd its
dissolution.
In it's appeal the trust alleged sixty
! six errors. Briefly, these were thai
the court erred In compelling /on-
resident corporations and individuals
10 appear at st. Louis: In overruling
the plea of the defendants that the
court had no jurisdiction. and some
others as to the acquisition to tie
subsidiary corporations.
The foremost attorneys In the me-
ton will appear before the Supreme
Court OF the United States this after
noon. Including Attorney-Genersi
W1ckershana: John g. johnson. Of
Philadelphia: John q, Milburn. 81
New York: Frank b, Kellogg. and
possibly also D. T. Watson, OF Pitts
burg. The Atirney- General and At
tOrney Kellosg will represent the gov
eminent. the latter having been asso-
ciated with the case since 1906.