The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-11
STANDARD OIL IN A
Fight FOR ITS LIFE
Continued From Page One.

The suit under the Sherman anti
trust law to dissolve the Standard Oil
organization was instituted in 1906
in the circuit court of the United
States for the eastern district of Mis-
souri,. The proceedings We're begun by
the department Of justice in the name
of the United States against ia COR
porations and seven individuals.
The principal corporation was the
Standard Oil co. of New Jersey From
1882 to the present time this company
is said to have operated refineries it,
self, but in 1899 its stock was in
creased to 100000, 900 so as to enable
it to acquire the stock of nineteen
other oil companies. which in turn
owned q large number of companies,
concerned in the oil business. The
Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey was
designated as holding company and
is similar to the American Tobacco Co.
the organization of which was consid-
cred by the court during the last few
days.
The seven individuals named in the
suit as defendants were John d. Rock
efeller, William Rockefeller, Henry M
Flagler, Henry Fl. Rogers, John d
Archibald, Oliver H Payne, and
Charles M. Pratt. The part these men
are said to have played in the alleged
violation of the Sherman antitrust
law has been summarized by the gov
eminent as follows:
About 1870 the Rockefellers and
Flagler conceived the purpose of con-
trolling the petroleum trade, both do
nestle and export, and obtaining a
monopoly thereof They entered into
conspiracy to accomplish this pur-
pose, which from time to time took
tie form Of various combinations
Shortly after 1870 the Rockefellers and
Flagler were joined in the conspiracy
by Rogers, Archibald, Payne and
Pratt.
The form which the alleged con-
spiracy took is described by the gov
eminent as being from 1870 to 1882
"a combination between a large num-
Der of manufacturers, who acted in
harmony and whose stock interests
were pooled in the hands of three
trustees in 1879" From 1882 to 1899
the form of the alleged combination
was that Of trust agreement, where
by the stock of a large number OF
corporations was placed in hands OF
trustees, who managed the property
From 1890 to the present time, the
combination is alleged to have taken
the form of a holding company, the
Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey.
The four judges in the circuit court
found that the Standard Oil was ar
illegal combination in restraint OF in
terstate commerce and was also
monopolizing the oil trade. A decree
was entered enjoining the holding
company from exercising any contro
over the subsidiary companies, ant
enjoining the subsidiary companies
from paying any dividends to the hold.
ing company. All were enjoined from
engaging in interstate commerce I'M
TIL the illegal combination was dis.
continued.
The court also found that the stand.
ard Oil:
Produced more than one-tenth of the
crude oil obtained in this country.
Owned and operated more than one.
half of all the tank cars used to dis.
tribute it's products.
Manufactured more than three.
fourths of all the crude oil refined IL
the United States.
Transplanted more than four fifthI
OF the petroleum derived from The
Pennsylvania and Indiana oil fields.
Marketed more than four-ffths Of
all the Illuminating oil sold in tht
United States.
Exported more than four-fifths of al
the Illuminating oil sent forth from th'
United States,
| Sold more than four ffths OF all thu
naphtha sold In the United States.
Sold more than nine-tenths of all thu
| lubrIcating oil sold to the railroa,
companies in the United States.