Norwich bulletin., 1911-01-17
STANDARD OIL DEFENSE
 FALLS TO THE GROUND,
Says Attorney General Wickersf1am in Argument for Dissolution of Com pany.

Washingtor. Jan. 16.-Declaring that the reorganization of the Standard Oll company of New Jersey in 1899 rlvet- ed together the control of the subsidf- ary companies in a way that had not existed before, Attorney General Wick ersham today argued before the Su- Dreme court of the United States that the defense put up by the Standard Oil company against dissolution feii to the ground. It was the third day or the oral argument of the case, and MT. Wickersham. was called upon to close for the government. He did not con-
 clude but will complete his argument tomorrow, when John G. Johnson will finish the presentation of the entire case.
 D. T. Watson of Pittsburg paved the way for Mr. Wickersham' remarks. Mr. Watson made the decree of the lower court dissolving the corpora ton the topic for his remarks. He said that the circuit court held that the de- fendants had done nothing after the passage of the Sherman antitrust law to violate it, but to convey the prop critics, held together for years by lawful body of men, to the Standard Oil company of New Jersey.
 Are the federal courts to sit by the avenues of interstate eommerce?s 1n- quired MT. Watson, "to pass on the conveyance of properties@ @
 He declared that the Standard tOil did not gain single power by reason of the conveyance.
 He contended that the properties conveyed were non-competitive before 1S99,and remained exactly as they had been after that year.
 The reason he advanced for the cir cult court holding that the convey ance was illegal. was that it believed it had to follow the decision of the supreme court in Northern Securities case. But the Standard Oil case, he argued. differed firm that suit. In the latter the railroads. owing duty to compete and engaged in active and actual competition. were concerned. In the former case there were con- cerned trade companies owing no duty to compete and not in competition with one another because of their common ownership.
 A second point that Mfr. Watson ar gued was that the decree practically confiscated property because it did not allow the subsidiary companies to pay dividends to the Standard Oil com pany of New Jersey,and that the stock of the company became practically worthless.
 Tt is gratifying to believe said Mir Wickersilam. following MT. Wat son. that the defendants will at least find some difficulty in evading the de- cree of the lower court if it is affirm !, ed"
 He defended the decree, saying the court below had held that conspira- cy to restrain trade had been found and that the conveyance of 1899 was made in pursuance of that conspiracy.
 After reviewing the history of the Standard Oil to support his claim that its organization just preceding the re- organization of the Standard Oil of New Jersey, in 1899, was illegal, MT. Wiel1ersham answered MT. Watson's nues+ion aho11t the effect of the step in 1899.
 Chief Justice White asked the at- torney general to test what he had been saying by an illustration. Be- fore MT. Wicllersham could comply fully with the request, to show how more effective, perpetual control haIl been procured, the chief justice said that he had misconceived the state ment, but that he then grasped the idea.