The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-15
NO RESTRAINT OF TRADE
ATTORNEY ARGUES
Senators and Representatives
Crowd COuT! Room Dur
ing Argument
tBy Associated Prcss.)

tiiy Associated PfeSS)
Washington, March 1.-THE final
fight for The dissolution of the stand.
lard Oil began when John G. Milhurn
OF New York spoke for three hours in
Eli1 defense
The hearing OF the suit against the
Standard Oil attracted to the court
room, lawyers and spectators from All
sections Of the country. Members OF
beth houses Of congress forsook their
respective chambers TO hear what wa'
10 be said in the review OF The de.
cree of the circuit cou,t of the Unit.
Ell States for the Eastern district OF
Missouri dssoNing the Standard Oil
company OF New Jersey, as con
Fpiracy in restraint of trade and as q
monopoly in violation Of the Sherman
antitrust oct
The greater part of Mr. Milburn't
address consisted of review of the
growth of the Standard Oil with the
object OF laying the foundation for
the claim that the corporations cen
terlng into the reorganization Of the
Standard Oil company of New Jerse,
Il, 1899, were non-eompetitive because
for many years they had been under
j so.called common ownership.
He told OF the tremendous size OF
he business OF the Standard OIL com.
pany and explained how il had grown.
according to his conception. He said
alge factors in this growth were the
building of pipe lines which any
body had right to build as he de
scribed it: the building of rcfinerles
ard he extending Of the marketing
facilities throughout this country, and
the entire world
Toward the close Of the day he en-
tered upon a discussion Of the Sher-
n an antitrust act He said in as
n,uch as the circuit court had held
that the mere method OF organization
was conspiracy TO monopollze and
had not considered the alleged mono
listic conduct, he felt an embarfass-
mcnt about discussing whether they
violated the law
Mr.. Milburn said he did not believe
that The corporation was in restraint
of rade, in view Of the common own
ership II had never restrained the
lilerties of capital Of anyone who has
entered into II. nor anyone who was
It's competitor he asserted. Instead Of
being monopoly, it was urged by
Mr. Mulbnrn. thai The amount of bust
ress It was doing, was decreasing.
Justice Harlan asked Mr.. Alilbnrn
70 ~. u,ou1l naIt M, arVnpfgn tipu pf
pcn to buy all the coal lands in Penn
sylyana. conspiracy in restraint or
trade and monopoly.
Finally Mr.. Milburn took M the
charge Of monopolistic conduct IS al
legged to have been shown by transpor'
tation discrimination. He declared ihe
idoa that railroads throughout the
county would discriminate in fayof
Of business that afforded only one
half of per cent OF the total traffic,
vas preposterons. He said the gov
eminent cries OF tremendous discrim-
iaations In favor of the Standard Oil
refining points and against the inde-
pendent refining points.
I Out OF $1,000 towns In which the
Standard Oil Is located, he said the
record showed complaints Of unfair
competition fsom. 81. An example OF
those who had complained OF compe.
tiiion, he said, was one ex-employe
who had explained he quit the Stand
ara Oil because OF its bad moral influ.
cree on business. This man, II was
said. took with him files OF the stand
ard Oil when he quit its service, and
ihese files were used by the govern
Went in the preparation Of the case
As TO the charge that iStandard oil
men corrupted railrulid officials In or
der to obiain Information as OF IT.
competitors In business. he asserted
any found doing such. would be dis
charged
Expe.ence had taught the STANDARD
Gil, he said, that 1t had to be more
'iftuous Than most corporations.
After Mr.. kellog.s argument, d. T
NatsOn's and John G. Johnson vii
speak on behalf OF the Standard Oil
and Attorney General Wickersham, OF
behalf Of the government, will ad
dress the court probably Wednesday
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