New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-17
OIL ARGUMENT ENDS
.COURT Has THE CASE.
U'icLrcrsham Closes for Cor
ernmcRf--JOhHsOn for Defence.

CFWWfNt 81 UNHaOH (Of Rc ft"ebs
Washington. March is-The dissolution
Of tho standard OF Company IL now
question FOR tho Supreme Court % the
United states 20 grapple with alone The
final arguments IN tho famous suit 20 dis
solve the corporation as conspiracy and
a monopoly in violation OF The Sherman
antitrust law were made to-day. and the
court took the case under consideration
The third day in the contest OF counsel
before The court was a memorable one. not
only because o. the arguments made. but
also because OF the interest manifested in
the proceedings. both on the part OF the
justices and the people Who were attracted
20 tho court Rules % the court prohibit
ing spectators standing I'm It's presence were
swept aside. and members or Congress
stood around the walls Of tho room. Not IN
years have so many persons been packed
into the little chamber.
Attorney General Wickersham. on the side
Of the government. ard John q. Johnson.
for the defence. made the closing addresses.
T. r Watson. another Standard oil law
yer. addressed the court earlier in the DAY.
Mr.. Wickersham tainted his opponents
for desiring 20 cast the veil Of oblivion
over its past" He spoke OF that past IS
containing a national scandal which the
courts and the legislatures were called on
"a nut down. He emphasized the conten-
ton that the reorganization OF 1859 gave
the STANDARD on a more solid organization
I than il possessed basore--an organization
which prevented the subsidiary companies
from competing.
Mr.. Wieksrshann's Plea,
They had sought 70 hold these cOrpors-
tions together" said the Attorney General.
The first method did not accomplish what
was desired. Two other methods we're de-
clared void. There was nothing To compel
these corporations 20 compete and they had
failed I'm every method 20 secure themselves
against the possibility Of segregation and
subsequent competition. They were held
/ together because their control was in the
hands of certain men who thought-and
had right TO think-it was not 70 their in
terest 10 compete.
but some one OF the great holders of
stock might die. Ills holding might be scat
tered. II was possible that even in this
great group Of men one might OveFstep and
have 10 sell his stock. and 80 there would
be a breaking away. That was what vas
IN the minds OF the men concerned. They
wanted to insure against the possibility %
a pulling away.
What did they do? Is IL true that after
1893 they were exactly IN the same position
as before? Can your hOnOrs say there is
no difference between twenty separate cor
poTatiOns In the hands o. say. twenty men,
and one corporation owning the other nine
teen I'm the hands Of the same men? rs
the power 81 controlling the one corpora
ton not easier: After there is eonsoIida-
ton; before there was the danger from the
I hazards OF tho moment"
IN closing, Mr.. Wickersham urged the
court not 10 be Influenced by the cry that
this proceeding was q blow directed at
business, because such a CRY had been
made often before and proved grOuudiess."
/ The closing address by Mr.. johnson was
partly a reply 10 Mr.. Wickersham Al
though the wolf may not have come az
first. he ted the court when IL did come
il Was TOO late 20 cry.
Mr.. Johnson Denies Monopoly.
How on earth could VIZ monopoIize the
manufacture of refined OFT when we control
only n per cent Of the crude oil output
/ he asked
/ But they complain that with our enor-
nous amount of wealth we drove our
competitors out OF business he ex-
claimed Are you going TO conduct bust
ness on the racetrack principle and put a
handicap on the man VINO possesses
wealth Arc you going 20 taboo
wealth.
We do have pipe Iines"' ne shouted.
I We DO have engines and boilers but
is that any reason why cur competitors
should get heat and steam from us: There
is no federal law which requires that. thank
God. as set.
rs there Kind ~ SOFT competition "A
PiekWickian competition, a kind Of Kid
glove variety he asked where they Just
compete 50 nicely that u won't hurt?
( General sherman used a word IN describing
what war IS: won't use the word I'm your
honors' presence, but that is what compe-
titiou is. Yet they complain because We
( undcrsold some one"