The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-08-05
MONOPOLY RENEWs GRIP.
STANDARD OIL RECEIVERS
~ TRADE FORMERLY WITH
" HELD.
Before Dissolution" OF Trust, war
Department Rcvokcs Order Prohib-
. iting Purchase from Unlawful
Combination - Why Corporation
= Consmissioner Refused Information
To Steel Trust Probcrs-NIysterlous
Documentary Disappearance from
Fties OF Various Departments.


Hact showing why the Standard Oil
-ople and the quotations of their
stock have not suffered seriously as
. RESULT of the Supreme Court decision
"dissolving'' the trust. IL to be found
, In the following circular recently is
sued by Gen. oliver. Acting Secretary
Of War:
N"in view OF the opinion rendered
20 the department by the Attorney
General June Is. 1911. that the
Standard Oil Company. OF Indiana
can. under the decision of the su-
preme Court of the United States re-
kntly entered In the case of the Uni
td States against the Standard Oil
Company. Of New Jersey. enter into
valid contract for the delivery OF
OH and may be required to execute
'ond FOR the faithful carrying out of
such contract. war department cir.
! cpiar dated December IL. 1909. d.
ting that no purchase be made
fronf thA and other companies named
In the circular. Is hereby revoked"
Thus even before the Supreme
Court has passed upon the satisfac-
toryness Of the manner I'm which the
Standard on Trust has divided II
Dn up into three dozen parts of It
self. the concern gets back the Gov
ernment business II had lost while
the g-eas prosecution was In prog
ress.
Blind the refusal OF Herbert
Snox Smith. commissioner of cor
tra.ions. to turn over to the COM
mittee cf the House of Representa-
ynrts which Is investigating the Steel
Trus. the data which the commits
1oop>rA sscursd while no WA forrnu-.
iafinx MS report lately published on
the steel business. Is that almost
zSprgotten provision OF the corpor-
Mon publicity statute which requires
that data thus secured by the com
missioner slrlll' not be divulged with
~ WV ofPs'Nei VI tue ifeSluent OF
the United States.
SO strong Is the statute on this
Dint that Il is beyond the power OF
The commissioner OF corporations to
divulge all the information obtained
I'm his investigation even To- the de-
partment OF Justice. unless the Presi-
dent gives his souc'ion.
r The argument made by the advo-
hates of the law when IL was urged
and passed during Col. Rooseyelt's
administration was that great deal
OF Information not otherwise likely
20 be secured would be available for
the Executives information II the
corporations knew that IL would not
so into the hands OF the public or OF
Me department OF justice without
his approval. and that the Executive
would be able to protect the public
interest by possessing INSIDE facts"
which would enable him to formu-
Rte proper remedial legislative rec
Hpmmendations. Opponents of the law.
BE OF that provision OF II. contended
that II was against public policy to
put such enormous power over the
corporations In the discretion OF one
man. and these opponents declare
that the event is Justifying their
flosic.
Commissioner Smith Is not regard
ed as desiring In any way to favor
the corporations. and the natural con-
hclusion from his refusal to give Rep-
resenta.ive stanley's steel invcstiga-
kfing committee the facts on which
ythe steel report was based. Is that
President Taft has failed TO grant the
commissioners the necessary permis-
sion. The public can draw It's own
deductions as To whether or not the
trust IL likely TO appreciate the Chief
Executives course In the premises.
\ whatever may he tho truth as to
'the alleged "Dlck-t -to-Dlck" letter.
which Miss Abott says she saw In
the flles OF tho interior department.
hut which tho Secretary OF the Inter
Tor and the President declare Is not
there now. evidence Is not lacking TO
\yhow that the present files of the va
'rlous departments are by no means
conclusive as 20 what they have con-
taincd previously. The mysterious
disappearance and reappcarance OF
the voucher I'm the Day portrait case
is fresh I'm the public mind; hut a
h documentary evanlshment far more
|extenslvo IN hulk has not received
much attertion.
House committee has been look
ing into charges that Major n. g..