The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-10-25
ROOSEVELT RAPs DIX
Shows up Relations of Democratic
Candidate to Wall Paper Trust.


Candidate to Wall Paper Trust.
Ithaca. N. Y, Oct. 25.-Theodore
Roosevelt jumped into the New York
state political arena yesterday with
both feet. He swung an oratorical
big stick upon John A. Dix, Democra-
tic candidate for Governor. In his
speech at the Ithaca hotel. the ex-
President replied to Mr.. DIx's asser-
ton that he was not in the wall paper
trust. Referring to the answer made
By Dix to Roosevelt's recent charge
the Colonel said:
This statement by Mr.. Dix is COM
pletely misleading. Either he knows
nothing about what the company OF
which he is a director has been do
ing or he is not frank in his answer
IF you will turn to pages 227 to
274, inclusive. OF Volume No. 212 Of
the United States Reports you will
find the final decision of the Supreme
Court. declaring Illegal the trust of
which Mr.. Dix's Standard Wall Paper
company was a member. This decs-
ion was rendered in February, 1909,
over a year and a half after Mr.. Dix
Estates that he became a director of
one of the companies which was In
the trust. In the volume to which
| refer is found copy of the contract
between the Continental Wall Paper
company, the trust, and the Standard
Wal PaDer company. Mr.. Dix's COM
pany. which was one of those in the
trust. Justice Harlan, speaking for
the court, stated that the Continental
Wall Paper combination was clear
violation of the Sherman law and he
quoted as approved by the Supreme
Court Judge Iurtons language about
this wall paper trust, which runs in
part as follows
Interstate commerce was directly
affected thereby. as well as the en-.
hancement OF prices, which resulted
A more complete monopoly in an ar
ticle Of universal use has probably
lnever been brought about. II may be
that the wit of man may yet devise a
more complete scheme to accomplish
the sitting Of competition, but none
of the shifts resorted to suppress
freedom OF commerce and securing
undue prices shown by the reported
cases, is half so complete In its de
tails. None Of the schemes witt
which this may be compared is more
certain of results, more widespread
In its operation or more evil in its
purposes.
This is the language OF the Su
Ipreme Court of the United States II
denouncing the trust, of which one o
the component elements was tn,
company whereof Mr.. Dix had by hii
own statement then been is months
la director Had the decision beer
favorable TO the trust, Mr.. Dix's com
pany and Mr. Dix individually would
have shared in the money recovered
that his interest was direct and per
sonal. Mr.. Dix was a director for /,
months. while the prosecution. wal
lpending. II he and those associated
with him did not desire the trust Il
be alive and active, then il was hll
land their clear duty to stop the Law
suit. which they were conducting fol
the recovery of money from recalci
trant member OF the trust. But al
though the suit had been decided ad
versely to the trust by Judge Lurtor
in 1905, It was prosecuted through by
the trust to the final decision by tn,
Supreme Court in 1909, over yea
and half after Mr. Dix became di
rector 70 the Standard.
Mr.. Dixs partner in the STANDARD
Wal Paper company. Mr.. julius Jack
son. was the president OF the trust
IT Mr. Dix could be so ignorant o.
what was going on in his own priyat,
business, In which he was a director
and so ignorant OF what his partner
in that private business was doing
and so ignorant OF the action OF the
Supreme Court of the United States
which definitely decided in referenc,
to that business. then all can say 1,
that he is. altogether too innocent &
be trusted in public Office as a subor
dinate partner to so able and astut,
n gentleman as Mr.. Murphy, the bosl
lof Tammany Hall. II he could for /,
months be so wholly ignorant of wha
his partners were doing in his owl
private business. II would certainl,
take him more than two years. whlcl
includes the term OF Governor. I,
find out what Mr. Murnhv xyae dnioo,