The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-11
Supreme CourtExpected
to Shed More Liz hton
EAnti- Trust Situation.
KNOTlY PROBLEM
UP FOR SOLUTION
During First Month of Session
Arguments Will Be Heard on
Hard Coal, Cotton Corner
and St. Louis Bridge Cases.
Turpentine Trust Case
Will Come Later.

Washington. D. c.. September TO-
More light on the application OF the
Sherman antitrust law to the business
OF the day is expected from the Su-
preme Court of the United states
shortly after the opening OF it's ses-
sion next month. Several anti trust
cases." advanced for early considera-
ton by the tribunal. are being relied
upon to give the court greater oppor-
tunity than that afforded in the recent
Standard Oil and tobacco decisions to
interpret TIN. law and to impress upon
the country how the court proposes
the law should be enforced.
1t is planned by the court in the
first month of its session to hear argu-
ments in the so-called hard coal case"
the cotton corner case" and the "St.
Louis bridge case" Possibly later in
the season the court may consider the
so-called "turpentine case" Each in
wolves knotty problems growing out
of attempts of the government to
punish alleged violations of the Sher-
man antitrust law. With the eNcep-
ton of the so-calIed ''turpentine case"
the government has been defeated in
the lower court and has appealed to
the Supreme Court to uphold It's inter-
probation of the law.
The lizard Coal Case"
The hard coal case" constitutes a
government attack on the principal
anthracite coal carrying railroads and
coal owning in Pennsylvania. It is
claimed that since 1895 these compa-
MES have been parties to combina-
ton and conspiracy with the general
object of ending competition among
themselves by transportation and the
sale of anthracite coal and OF prevent
ing the sale of the independent output
in competition with their own, design
Ing thereby to secure to themselves a
virtual monopoly. Besides this gem
cral conspiracy alleged. number of
little conspiracies. not only forming a
part of the general conspiracy, but oc-
cupying an independent existence, have
been charged by the government. All
the charges were overruled by the
lower court, the United States Circuit
Court for Eastern Pennsylvania, ex-
cept that concerning one of the So
called little combinations" the Tenn
Pile Iron Company. In that instance.
an injunction was granted.
Nothing like the cotton corner case"
has ever been before the Suprs me
Court, it is said. The government will
ask the court to overrule the action of
the United States Circuit Court for
an indictment against James a. Petten,
Eugene c. Scales. Frank B. Hayne and
William p. Brown three counts, These
counts charged in substance that these
men conspired to monopoliZe the in
terstate trade and commerce In avail
able cotton by acquiring enough OF
that commodity on the New York Cot
ton Exchange to give the alleged con-
spirators power to Ak arbitrary and
III - 4
they knew the natural result OF run
ming a corner would be to obstruct
the cotton trade and injure bona je
spicners and manufacturers by COM
pelling them, in buying. to compete
with short" sellers who would be
purchasing under the abnormal con-
ditions produced by the corner" Tho
lower court held that the restraint of
trade OF the spinner and manufacturer
was remote and indirect. and the oper-
alton of running a corner" on the
market was not a violation of the
Sherman antitrust law.
The "St. Louis Bridge Cnse."
In the st. Louis bridge case" the
government claims that the agree
ments whereby the Terminal Railroad
Association of ST. Louis acquired the
ownership and control and operates
the "Eads Bridge" and Merchants
Bridge" across the Mississippi, violate
the Sherman antitrust law. [The
United States Circuit Court for East
ern Missouri dismissed the bill.
The so-called "turpentine trust
case" involves tho validity of the in .
dictment and conviction of head off,
Gals of the American Naval Stores
Company on charges of having Siolal-
ed ths sherman antitrust law. Last
spring the court declined to advance
the case for early hearing. but IT is
barely possible 1t may DO so this sea-
SIM