Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-14
st+ERMAN sTArUTE's VALIDITY
INVOLVED in STANDARD oil
CASE BEING ARGUED.
DEFINE LEGAL BOUNDARIES
OF LEGAL DEVELOPMENT
Court 20 Take Up Arguments Against
constitutionaIity Of Corporation Tax
Law at Conclusion Of Oil Hearing
Fifteen Similar Cases Now Pending
Before United States Supreme Court.

washington, March 14.-Found by
the lower federal court to be a COM
bination in restraint of--trade and a
monopoly. STANDARD OiT' today ap-
peared at the bar of the supreme
court Of the United States to make the
final argument against its dissolution
under the Sheran antitrust law. The
government was present to insist on a
decree of enforcement Of the dissolu-
tion. T.,ts proceeding before the high
est tribunal is the outgrowth Of years
of investigation Of Standard Oil on the
part OF the government, and its inn
mediate origin was a petition filed in
1906 by the department Of justice in
the United States circuit court for the
eastern district of Missouri, asking for
a dissolution Of the Standard Oil Com
pany of New Jersey, as violating the
Sherman antitrust act -Four judges
had been called in to pass on the case
and they finally announced a decree,
granting substantially all that the gov
ernment had asked. It is from this de-
cree that counsel for the Standard Oil
appealed to the supreme court.
The Standard Oil case along with
that brought by the American Tobacco
Company which was closed several
weeks ago will bring construction by
the court Of last resort of the Sherman
antitrust laws eagerly awaited by the
business world, because the interpreta-
tion of the law as involved in these
cases will clearly establish the lawful
boundaries Of commercial development
At the request of Attorney General
Wickersham arguments in the STANDARD
Oil case will continue until Wednes-
day evening. Arguments were opened
today by John G. Milburn for the de-
Tense.
Tax Test I'm portant.
Following the close OF the oral argu-
iaen,s IN the Standard Oil case. which
viii last two and perhaps three days
the supreme court will listen to oral
arguments In the cases brought to test
the constitutionality OF the corporation
tax law. There are fifteen such cases.
the most important being those against
the Northern Trust Company and
against the Corn Exchange National
Bank OF Chicago, which were brought
at the instance OF the Chicago clear
ing house and in which Judge E. O.
Brown, Of Chicago, is counsel.
There has been no decision among
the counsel in these cases as to who
will present the argument. A meeting
viii be held in a day or two to decide.
because 1t Is thought that 1t will be
physically impossible for all counsel to
be heard Judge Brown has prepared
briefs in his, cases Of such excellence
that counsel in some Of the other cases
could not improve upon them and have
Incorporated in their briefs liberal ex-
tracts from them.
Additional interest Is added to the
Standard Oil case Just at this time, be-
cause John D. Rockefeller proposes
thru bill now pending in congress to
establish the Rockefeller foundation to
enable him to spend untold millions in
aid Of charity and education and in
support OF movements in the interest
OF progress and enlightenment.
Admission Limited.
The demand for admission to the SUI
preme court room to hear the Standard
Oil and corporation tax cases Is so
great that it has been decided that
only those having cards may enter.
The court sits,in the old senate cham
ber at the capitol, where the space is
greatly restricted, and therefore only a
comparatively few of the many who
want to will be able to hear the argu-
ments.