Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-01-13
bitter FIGHT
By STANDARD.
on COMPANY BEGINS WAR 10
SAVE ms LIFE IN COURT,
SAYS TRUST IS BLANELESS
Attorney for Defendant Praises Rock
elcilcr ana Tells of Goodness Of
Trust.

BY Associated Press.
Washington. Jan 12.-FIghting for
its life, tho Standard OH Company
through its attorneys, argued before
the supreme court, by the United
States against the proposed dissolu-
tion OF the Standard oil Company of
New Jersey For three hours John
G. Mlbun of New Yorl, addressed
the court Tomorrow Frank B. Kel-
logg Of Minnesota win present the
governments side of the controversy
and the arguments win not be con-
cluded until next Tuesday
Muburns task was TO present the
facts IN the case, but occasionally he
departed from the facts to show what
alleged wrongs the afflrmance of the
dissolution decree Of the lower court
would incur In this history OF the
chaotic conditions in the oil business
between 1850 and 1870, due he said
e. over production OF the refining
capacity. MIburn introduced To the
court the character OF John d. Rocke-
feller.
There was out I'm Cleveland" said
he. "a young man in the early sixties
with a small amount of money which
he had saved. who possessed a gift
Of genius He had a genius for bus
ircss and there Is a genius for busi-
ness Just as there is a genius for war
or poetry or painting. That man was
John d. Rockefeller He saw that this
oyer production Of refineries would
be- met by a volume OF business so as
to withstand lower profits"
He told how Rockefeller allied him
SELF with Andrews. a practical oil re
finer. and how with the exercise OF
Rockefellers genius for business and
their consequent good standing among
financiers they grew rapidly
Milbun dwelt particularly upon
the period Of acquisition which he
said closed in 1919, the trust agree
ment in 1892 and the new arrange
mcnt ownership in 1899. The acQuisi-
tious have never been made. Milhurn
told the court with intent to restrain
or to monopolize interstats trade. The
most purchases we're made, he said
before 1872.
I'VE thought 1t was the only decent
thing TO do II the man came TO us,
said Milburn, with a proposition to
self out, TO buy his plant at its ap-
praised value. often it was practl-
cally worthless. and we could have
permitted It to dry rot in his hands II
lie denied the charges of the gov
ernment that because the Standard
on had the advantages Of alleged pre-
fercnces from the railroads during the
period of acquisition II should now
be punished The contracts between
the railroads and the Standard We're
not in restraint Of trade, he contends
"when viewed in the light Of days II
which they were made"
Extended remarks about the reorgar
lzatlon of the Standard oil Company
OF New Jersey in 1899, which thing
the decree of the lower court woulC
undo as a violation of the Sherman
Law were summarized by Justice
Hughes
The net result suggested Hughes
as thar the Standard oil Company oi
New Jersey. after 1899, stood I'm tn,
place of trustees, and those who helt
certificates issued by the trustee!
thereafter held stock in the STANDARD
Oil Company Of New Jersey"
Precisely" said Milburn. "It Il
quite simple when you understand It
You see there was the same body o
common owners Of the property botf
before and after 1899. At thl
point he referred TO the arguments o
the Standard upon which II ls pin
ming It's e1ith In It's present controyersl
that the new arrangement Of 1895
Id not suppress competition In any
way because the properties befor,
1899 we're not competing as they wer,
being owned by the same persons.