The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-16
I.tnoR AND CAPITAL.

Y rights OIL Capltal ana the other5 eStaD-
fishing tho claims OF Labor. In the
latter case the Court held unanimously
that the Court Of Appeals OF tho Dis
trict OF Columbia and the Supreme
Court OF the District were alike III
error In holding Samuel Gompers, John
Mitchell and Frank Morrison, officers
OF the American Federation of Labor,
guilty OF contempt in the Bucks stove
matter, and Imposing upon them sen
fences of fines and imprisonment. In
the opinion Of the Supreme Court the
case being a civil case and not n Grim
inal proceeding. the lower Court could
not have imposed q Jail sentence upon
the defendants and. therefore. ordered
that the criminal sentences DO set
aside. The judgments OF the Court of
Appeals and the Supreme Court of
tho District arc reversed and the case
remandcd, with directions that the con-
Bucks Stove and Range Company BIO.
dismissed, but without prejudice to tho
power and right of tho Supreme Court
of the District to punish by n proper
proceeding contempt, If any, committed
against It,"
We accept tho decision of the SUI
prone Court without question. there is
nothing else to be done; but speaking
Court has split the middle, and we should
have preferred with Mr.. Gompcrs that
the Court had entered into The merits
or the contention between the parties
to this suit. If the lower Court should
avail itself OF tho permission now
granted it 10 punish Mr.. Gompcrs and
his associates for contempt by fine we
suppose the flnc imposed by It would
he subject to review by the Supreme
Court. md that II It should no regarded
ny the higher tribunal MS excessive the
case would be again remanded for fur
thcr consideration by tho lower Court.
which has held these parties In con-
tempt. Naturally, tho American Fedora
ton feels that It has achieved great
victory. and 1t has; but itremains TO be
seen what effect this victory Will have
upon future contentious between Labor
md Capital.
The case against the Standard oil
Company has been hanging nrc long
time, and we are glad that It Is de-
cided at last The Court holds that
II Is a monopoly In restraint OF trade.
and that 1t must be dissolved within
SIX months. Corporations whose con
tracts are mot unreasonahly rcstric-
tive of competition" are not affected
by the decision, and other corporations
whose acts may be called In question
will 30 dealt with according to tho
mefftsSof each particular case. The
Court was unanimous as 10 the main
features OF the decision, ana the bust
ness Will probably go along about as
formerly. and men will make and sell
oil. and men Will buy and burn oil, UNI
I'll some better and cheaper illuminate
is discovered @
It is said that the President and his
Cabinet VIII consider Immediately tho
entire Trust situation and the advis-
ability OF pressing for Federal lncof-
poration law which will have the effect
probably OF putting the STANDARD Oil
concern or It's several companies on
their feet again. Until some practical
solution Of the case is reached. IL is 10
be expected that there will he much
speculation In tile securities which
have been controlled by the Standard
Oh interests, and this would Sc u
good time for little ships to keep near
shore.
We can tell better about tho two
onses-the Labor case and The Capital
case after the full decisions hayc
been published. The first will be re-
garded BY many as unfortunate be
cause II looks to them MS If ii we're
yielding TO the demands" OF Labor,
but we must have confidence in Inc good
faith of the Supreme Court. even a.
We claim good faith for ourselves. me
STANDARD Oil concern has doubles:
made It's plans against this decisio,
OF the Court The best we car
hope for Is that The dissolution
Of the Standard Oil combination
Will not result In Tie increase,
price Of the products OF this company
and thus add another burden TO III,
higher cost OF living
: ';---7-=- .t
FEWER MiI.IIONAIRE SEN.,rORs
4 change has taken place in IL,
Unified States scna,e-not as rndica
as the nation would Ike. But chang.
for the better. II vas brought abou
by the neoplc at the polls last fall.
The wealth OF tho members OF tn,
present Senate is much less than ira
Tepresented by tho previous senate
The difference amounts TO ahon
S4o,000.ooo, The death Of stephen Il
Elkins. OF West Virginia, took ..abou
tld,ooo.ooo out Of the Senate. The re
tiremcnt OF Nelson w. Aldrich o
. nd