New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-18
MONOPOLY Of STANDARD
OIL COMPANY KILLED
Administration Officials Say ST.
preme Court Has De-
stroyed 1t Forever.
THE DECREE FAR-REACHING
Government Sees Nothing to
Cause It to Change It's Cor
poration Policy-Awaits
Tobacco Decision.

From The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Nav 11.-That the stand
| ard Oil monopoly is destroyed. that ITS
thirty-fo component companies are ef-
fectively prevented by the decision Of
the Supreme Court not only from carly
ing on their business under their present
form Of organization, but from forming
any other combination or agreement
whereby the same end may he achieved.
and that any attempt to achieve that end
will be visited with summary justice.
with no protracted litigation intervening.
are facts which do not appear to have
impressed themselves on the popular
mind. despite the wide publicity given 10
the decision.
Only a careful study of the decree Of
the Circuit Court. which was affirmed by
the Supreme Court. affords any adequate
idea Of the farreaching effect of the
later decision. BY the terms Of that de-
cree the STANDARD Oil Company is en-
Joined from exercising or attempting to
exercise any control, direction, super
vision or influence over the acts Of
these subsidiary companies" and they
in turn. are enjoined and prohibited from
permitting the Standard to exercise any
such control or influence over them
Moreover. all the component companies
their officers. directors. agents servants
and employees" are enjoined and pro-
hibited from carrying on the present
combination, which is adjudsed illegal
and from entering into any like COM
! tination or conspiracy" The decree
/ further specifically prohibits every
| known form OF written agreement and
stock interest between any two or more
of the interested parties. and every form
which may he conceived and which has
| for its purpose the limitation Of competi-
ton, including all efforts by gentle
mems agreement" or other understand
ing to fix prices. control output. regu-
! late transportation. and. in a word, every
Arrangement which might be devised for
the purpose of perpetuating the monop-
oily which the court has by its decision
sought to destroy.
Would Be Contempt Of Supreme Court.
And finally. in accordance with the de-
cision Of the Supreme Court, any viola
ton Of the decree Of the lower court can
and will be dealt with Immediately as
contempt Of court by that tribunal, and
without the intervention OF any other
| court or litigation Of any character
whatever, while the sweeping character
of the decree renders liable to punish
ment for such contempt every person
who may take part therein, from the
officers to the employees as indicated
above.
In the opinion Of the administration
the sweeping effect Of the Supreme Court
decision is hardly appreciated even by
the officers of the Standard Oil Com
pany. and probably will not be
until they appeal 10 their attorneys TO
point out some method whereby the
great al aggregation of property controlled
by that company may be further admin
istered without the intervention of that
competition which the company has so
/ long ana cUttludllN dNplu''' iHr 'lii-
cials Of the administration are firmly
convinced that the legal advisers of the
Standard oil Company will find such a
task an impossibility because of the
sweeping character Of the injunction
Members Of the administration, COM
menting on the extent of the govern
ment's victory. declared to-day that,
greatly pleased as they were with the
affirmation by the Supreme Court Of all
their contentious they were az loss 10
understand where chief Justice White
gained the impression that the govern
ment urged the narrower construction
# the antitrust law advocated by Jus
tice Harlan in his dissenting opinion.
That the Chief Justice entertained this
i.np~ession is obvious from his language.
He SAYS in his opinion.
| In substance. the propositions urged by
the government are reducible 10 thls
| That the language Of the statute en-
| traces every contract. combination. etc.
in restraint Of trade. and hence its text
iea.-es no room for the exercise Of 1udg-
ment. but simply imposes the plain duty
of applying its prohibition TO every case
| within its literal language.
Contention Of Government Counsel.
He then goes on 10 point out the error
| ;,,,ol,ed in this contention The law