The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1911-11-23
Simplifying the Trust Question.

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Court at New York approving the plan
Of dissolution proposed by the Ameri
can Tobacco Company. This dis
claimer of any intention to obstruct
the adjustment in the Tobacco case
probably was a factor in the advances
in stocks which took place yesterday
The announcement seems to have been
made early enough yesterday to have
been known on the New York Stock
exchange before the trading was fairly
under way for the day. While At
torney General Wickersham intimated
that he may ask the supreme Court
some time within twelve months to re-
view the action OF the lower tribunal,
it was learned that ne was not planning
to do this, and probably would not do it.
Yesterday also obstruction from another
quarter was averted. The petition Of
anumber Of the independent tobacco
dealers for leave to intervene in the
governments dissolution suit against
the American Tobacco Company was
denied by the circuit court in New
York. Thus the plan Of dissolution
which has been arrived at between the
company and the lower court will be
carried cut. UnquestiOnably this atti'
tude Of the courts is calculated to dissi'
pate some Of the scares which the
trust suits be the government had
aroused in business circles.
Thus, too, for Congress and the
president, the work Of dealing with the
trusts has been simplifed. From a
source which is considered authoritative
report comes from Washington that,
in his forthcoming message 10 Con
gress at the opening Of The session the
president intends 10 virtually restrict
himself to three questions. These are
the tariff, the currency and the trusts,
Other subjects are to be deferred TO
special messages later on in the session
This would be a wise proceeding. 1t
would shorten the message sufficiently
to induce nearly every newspaper
reader TO 60 through it, OF course,
the president remarks on the tariff will
propably be confed 10 the recommend
ations made by the Tariff Board on the
wooden and cotton schedules. He has
promised to urge revision OH the gener-
al line favored by the board, which is
expected to place its report in the
presidents hands before the opening
OF the session. That revision will be
had during the session, however is far
from being certain. An overkaulipg
OF even two schedules on the eve OF a
presidential campaign would be risky.
The chances Of flaming bill which
would be acceptable 10 a Democratic
House and Republican Senate, and
at the same time meet the approval oi
a Republican president, are not very
favorable in this exigency. 1t will be
noticed that Senator Penrose OF Peensy.-
vania, chairman OF the finance Com
mittee in his branch Of Congress says
he thinks tariff revision will be impoS.
sible this winter Currency reform, toe
is a large question and is not likely tc
be undertaken seriously in advance o.
the election. II the trust question j;
dealt with al all this winter it will have
to be through some modification Of the
Sherman law, or through federal in
corporation act.
1t is known Of course, that the pres.
dent was lavorably impressed by tb,
rule Of reason" announced by Chic
JIsnce White Of the Supreme court il
the Tobacco suit half year ago. Thi
rule has been applied in a practica
way in the dissolution Of that combin
alton and in the realignment whicl
brings that interest into harmony will
the Sherman act. 1t is applied also il
the Standard Oil case and thus IT.
shares in each Of these great concern
have advanced in the past few month
As levelheaded men predicted all alon
the decisions did not destroy any prop
erty. The assets OF these companie
are more valuable intrinsical'y, now tha