The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-05-18
STANDARD OIL DISSOLVED
SUPREME COURT SAYS 1T IS IL.
LEGAL TRUST.
Six Months Given to Meet Decree.
Victory for Prosecution Ends.
Four Years Struggle.

Victory for Prosecution Ends.
Four Years Struggle.
Washington, May 15.-The Stand
ard Oil Company of New Jersey and
it's 19 subsidiary corporations were
declared to-day by the supreme court
of the United States to be con-
spiracy and combination in restraint
of trade. 1t also was held to be mo-
nopolizing interstate commerce in
violation of the Sherman antitrust
law. The dissolution of the COM
bination was ordered to take place
within six months.
Thus ends the tremendous strug-
gle of years on the part of the gov
ernment to put down by authority Of
law a combination which it claimed
was menace to the industrial and
economic advancement of the entire
country.
At the 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 mot
every restraint of trade" It was on
this point that the only discordant
note was heard in the court. Justice
Harlan dissented, claiming that cases
already decided by the court had de-
termined once for all that the word
undue" or Unreasonable" or SINH
lar words, were not in the statute.
He declared that the reasoning of
the court in arriving at it's findings
was in effect legislation which be-
longed in every instance to congress
and not to the courts.
Big Business Hoped.
Ever since the decree in this case
in the lower court, the United States
circuit court for the Eastern district
of Missouri, was announced, hope
has been expressed by the business
world that the law would be modt-
fed 80 as not to intefere with what
was designated as "honest business. I"
Tonight that section of the opinion
calling for the use Of the "rule of
reason in applying the law Is re-
garded in many quarters as in answer
to the prayers of the business
world"
The opinion of the court was an
nounced by Chief Justice White. In
printed form it contained more than
10000 words. For nearly an hour
the chief justice discussed the case
from the bench, going over most of
the points in the printed opinion, but
not once referring to it in order to
refresh his memory. Before him sat
distinguished audience of the most
famous men of the country. Sena-
tors and representatives left their re-
spective chambers in the capitol to
listen to the epoch-making decision
| of the court Most eager to hear
were Attorney General Wickersham
and Frank B.. Kellogg, special coun-
sci of the government, who had con-
Quoted the great fight against the
| Standard Oil.
None of the brilliant array of
counsel for the corporation or indi-
vidual defendants was present in the
court during the reading of the opin-
ion.
What the Court Holds.
The supreme court holds:
That the Standard Oil company is
a monopoly in restraint of trade.
That this giant corporation must
be dissolved within six months.
Corporations whose contracts are
mot unreasonably restrictive OF
competition" are not affected.
Other great corporations whose
acts may be called into question will
be dealt with according to the merits
of their particular case.
The court was unanimous as to
the main feature of the decision,
Justice Harlan dissenting only as to
a Limitation of the application of the
Sherman antitrust law.
President Taft and cabinet will
consider Immediately the entire situ-
alton and the advisability Of press
ing for federal corporation act.
A decision in the tobacco trust
case, which was expected simultan-
ooue1v moe MT annnnnced to-day