Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1910-03-12
FATE OF THE OIL TRUST
Case of Government Against Standard
Oil Company Comes Up Before
Supreme Court Next Week.
(Herald Special)

(Herald Specially
Washington, D. c., March 12.-The
momentous case of the government
against the Standard Oil Trust which.
eventually, involves the dissolution of
the gigantic corporation, is on the eve
of being heard before the court of last
resort, the United States supreme
court. from the decision of which
there is no appeal. The case, having
been advanced upon the docket, will
come up for final hearing next Mon
day. No case that has been submit
ted to the United States supreme
court in modern times ever attracted
more general interest, and lawyers,
men of finance, politicians, men of in
dustry and economists agree in the
opinion that this case, together with
the one somewhat similar against the
American Tobacco company, present
for the consideration and final deci-
sion of the highest tribunal of the
country practically the entire range of
modern industrial organizations and
substantially every feature of the
trust question" SO far as it falls
within the purview of the Sherman
antitrust law.
1t is admitted that the Standard Oil
case is the more important of the
two cases, as it affects the widest
range of combinations and contracts
which may be claimed to offend
against the Sherman law. Under
these circumstances and as this act
in its general scope affects an enor
nous number of business and indus
trial organizations throughout the
country, the final decision of the SUI
preme court is awaited with intense
interest. In view of the delicate re-
lation which 1.-The market" wall
Street" and the financial world, gen.
orally, bears to the news and gossip
of the three great branches of the gov
eminent it will be readily understood
lildt IAC u6CiSloil, Dt WIdI II llldy, 10
sure to produce profound impress
2 sion, to be felt throughout the finan-
cial and business channels of the
country.
Industrially, practically the whole
scope of modern corporate organiza-
ton is in one way or another involved
in the case. Good trusts and bad
: trusts are interested in the outcome,
which may affect their very exist
ence. If the supreme court should
sustain the judgments of the lower
court, it may .neeessitate industrial
Refreshments of far-reaching effect
Political leaders, realizing. that, what
ever the final decision may be, it will
necessarily affect not only the indus
trial and financial but also the politi-
cal situation in this country, express
the hope that the court, should it de-
eide in favor of the government, will,
at the same time, point out some
measure of relief which, from any
point Of view. now appears outside the
possible range of legislation
The present case, which will come
up in the supreme court next week on
an appeal of the Standard Oil trust,
was begun November IS. 1906, when
the complaint was filed in the United
States circuit court at St Louis. for
hearing by the four judges of the
Eighth judicial circuit. In its petition
lie government complained that the
defendants had conspired ito restrain
the trade and commerce in petro-
leum, commonly called crude oil, in
refined oil and in the other products
of petroleum among the several states
and territories of the United States
and the District of Columbia, and
with foreign nations, and to monopo-
lie the said commerce" John d.
Rockefeller, William Rockefeller and
Henry M. Flagler were named as the
'originators of the alleged conspiracy.