The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-05-25
STANDARD LOSES
v. s. SUPREME COURT DECIDES
AGAINST THE FAMOUS
TRUST.
VIOLATES SHERMAN LAW
Restraints Trade and Commerce, Uses
Unfair Methods and Is Generally
a Menace to the Public
Welfare.

Washington, D. C.-The standard
Oil company of New Jersey and it's
10 subsidiary companies were declar-
ed by the supreme court of the United
States to be a conspiracy and combi-
nation in restraint of trade. They
also were held to be monopolizing
interstate commerce in violation of
the Sherman antitrust law. The dis
solution of the combination vas Or
dered to take place within six months.
Thus ended the tremendous strug-
gle on the part of the government to
put down by authority of law a COM
bination which it asserted was a men
ace.
At tht same time the court inter-
preted the Sherman antitrust law so
as to limit it's application to acts of
undue" restraint Of trade and not
every" restraint of trade. It was on
this point that the only discordant
note was heard in the court.
By far the greater portion of the
opinion of the chief justice was de-
voted to the justification of the court
In requiring that the rule of rea-
SON" be applied to restraints of trade
before they were held to be violations
Of the Sherman antitrust law. The
court found this justification in the
common law of the forefathers and
in the general law of the country at
the time the Sherman antitrust law
was passed. This meaning of the
words, according to the court, called
for exercise of reasoning in determin.
ing what restraint on trade were pro.
hibited.
Chief Justice Reviews Proceedings.
Chief Justice White in his opinion
first reviewed the preliminary pro
ceedings in the case in the circuit
court of the United States for the
Eastern district of Missouri. He re
stated the essential points in the bill.
of the government asking for the dis
solution of the Standard Oil and the
answer questioning the jurisdiction o.
the court and denying the claims O
the government.
He then came to the arguments a
to the law and the facts in the case
saying that out of the "jungles" o
law and facts both sides were engage,
only in n thing and that was tina
the determination of the controvers,
rested upon the proper construction
and application Of the first and secon,
sections Of the antitrust acts. TIL
views Of the two sides, as to the Law
the chief justice said, were as wild
apart as the poles. The same he SAID
was true as to the facts.
Labor Leaders Win Case.
Setting aside the sentences of impr
sonment imposed by the supreme cour
of the District of, Columbia, for allege
d~isobediance to a boycott injunction
the supreme court of the United State
held that Samuel Gompers, job
Mitchell and Frank Morrison, pres
dent, v~ice-president and secretary re
spectively of the American FEEDER;
ton of Labor, had been erroneousl
sentenced to Jail on a charge Of col
tempt of q local court.
The court unanimously held tina
the only sentence that could be in
posed upon the labor leaders wer
fines. In so holding the supreme coul
OF the United States found that tn
court of appeals of the District
Columbia and the supreme court
the district erred in treating the col
tempt proceedings as a criminal cas-
and not a civil one. The effect
holding the proceedings a civil on
was to make Jail sentences impo
sible. Hence the Jail sentences ha
to be set aside.
Inasmuch as all of the differenc
between the labor men and the Bucl
Stove and Range company have bee
adjudicated including the "boycot
case out of which the contempt pr
ceedings arose. the decision is pro
ably the last to be heard Of this I
nous action.
Rebels Take Border Town.