Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-05-18

| serter who more than any other JUS
l.ice OF the Supreme Court has always
sanged himself on the side Of the gov
eminent In all prosecutions under the
antitrust law, thinks the decision in
this case practically permits all con-
tracts or com binations, whether trust
or otherwise. which do not put I'M
reasonable restraint upon competitors
| q" consumers Justice Harlan thinks
the Supreme Court las no right to in
terpolate word not in the original
statute as passed by ConEress--a word
which all the lawyers for all the
trusts have striven in vain for twenty
one years to read into tho statute.
There will be many more battles
| yet to fight against other monopolies
TO test whether in "the light of rea-
Fof'' they are good or bad. Under
the ruling of the highest court in the
land monopolles are no longer to he
CONDEMNED until they are tried, and
| they cannot he hanged until they are
convicted. The Standard Oil COM
rany has been tried, convicted and
the decree of the court dissolving It
Is to he executed in some fashion In
six months.
Legitimate business will not suffer
ary setback. on the contrary, the
settlement of thrs cardinal Issue
should dispel anxiety and doubt. and
put new heart and confidence into all
the honest ways of industry and
trade.
The Now York Tribune sums It's
view of the effect of the decision in
the following paragraphs:
Tho hope that the supreme Court
in the great trust cases which have
| been before II for many months would
clear up the disputed questions re-
garding the sherman antitrust act
was not disappointed. Chief Justice
| Whites opinion in the Standard Oil
case clarifies the uncertain and defines
tho vague phrases, giving common
! sense explanation of the law, which
leaves 1t stronger just because 1t IL
no longer subject to rldlcule as i'm
practicable and destructive Of all
kinds of business, big and little alike.
| The New York sun says:
The rights of property will not and
cannot be substantially or practically
affected. The age Ct the locomotive
Win not return to that OF tn" wheel
| barrow on will continue to be pro-
duced from the bowels OF .he earth,
VIII continue to ne refined and mar
| ketcd. We can repose a reasonable
confidence IN the patriotic purposes
and conservative Judgment of the
! President of the United States. upon
whom the ultimate responsibility
must rest of giving full force and e.
| feet to the decision just announced.
| 1t is most fortunate that W. have a
! President who is not n mere dema-
gogue and who Is brave enough TO do
that which is just and reasonable
without fear of criticism and with
out regard to his personal interests.
1t can be seen from these different
quotations that public conaden 20
should result from this decision and
that unreasonable trusts" should
speedily put themselves IN d position
where they will not be amenable II
the law
! IT in the meantime the fact remains
that the Standard Oil company can
continue to carry on operations under
Its different subsidiary companies in
the various States, 1t will be in
terestng to note whether the great
corporation viii in effect continue to
be a trust though resolved somewhat
into it's natural elements.