New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-21
Attorney General Points to the
Work of Taft in ProSeCut-
ing the Big Trusts.
FAR BEYOND THE COLONEL
Saws Decree in Standard Oil
Case Accomplished What the
Ex- Presidents Law Off
Ger Set Out to Do.
From Tho Tribune Bureau.

Wasbington. Aug. 20.-Attorney General
Nickersham issued a reply to-day to the
assertion of Theodore Roosevelt that the
trust prosecutions under the Taft admin
lStration had operated TO the advantage
of toe trusts. in which he pointed out
that the Northern Securities case-'the
sole and only complete accompli' hment
under the sherman law during the Roose-
veit administration was followed by a
profit Of StS, 10000 for the Union Pacific
interests.
The Attorney General also called at
tention TO the fact that Frank 3. keI-
logg special assistant in the STANDARD
oil suit and one OF Colonel Rooseyelts
original boosters. had declared that the
STANDARD oil decree accomplished
everything that It is possible TO accom-
plish under the Sherman act" The at
tention Of Colonel Roosevelt 20 the
article IN question was commended by
Mr. Wlckersham, who said:
In Colonel Roosevelt's reloinder 10 my
statement comparing the ANTITRUST pro- g
cuuOns OF his administration with tnoSe
az the present. he again constantly over
looks the fact that tho decree III ne
STANDARD OF case accomplished preclseiy
what his Attorney General ana trahA D.
Kellogg. the able lawyer whom ne re.
tanned as special assistant 10 Conouct IhdI
prosecution, set out to accomplish. y Iie
will pause long enough IN MS dehuuCla-
lions to read what Mr.. kellogg said ~.
his article in The Review OF Review
.or June, 1912 he Will learn that Mr. Rel
iCcs there recorded his matured conclu-
sion that. in his opinion. the decree IN lne
Standard Oil case accomplished every
Thing that il is possible 10 acconp,is Is.
Nnder the Sherman act and. again, tldt
tine decree went further than any 9e-
cree has ever gone In any court dhIer
the Sherman act. :,
That sfeteuoent was true OF that de-
cree when IL was entered me decree III
The case Of the American TOBACCO COM
bination went still further. ..,--..-.,.
Mr. ROoSeVelts statement that mos u
,rces have been read with Satisfaction
nv the truSts-either straight trusts OF
crooked" TRUSTS about as Uuthlul 1s
81 would be- TO say that man WHO W.
tbrostened with the loss Of both his legs
received with satisfaction the lniornld-
tio, that only one was TO be Cut OF.
II the test Of success or 0tncT"lst III
,bc DEMONSTRATION Of the sherman ~"
is 10 be the market prices OF the stoEN9
Of the distributed concerns aIter a u
cree Of diSeutegrauon, Whdt Co"t M,
would be drawn from the Iacls IN ny
Nnrthoru Securities case. tho sole anu
only complete accomplishment unh"r VIC
sherman law during the hCpstH'lI ~
,11iuiStrdtlO0F rs Ildllrl VI TO-.
market prices of the stocks Ooth OF I've
Northern Pacific and the Great NorthcIn u
Railroad companies increased sISdU.
after the distribution which followed tue
decision of the Supreme Court IN tudt
ease. and the Union Pacific interest arc e
such dissolution, sold the Northern / dtlhE ny
oLaroe which they received at proht OF
abollt So U,Odt0. according to the test-
noouv i'm the government Sult dSdIiis
The southern Pacific and Union racine
companies . -. 49,. in
ference which might be drawn from tidt
fact. lust as a similar inference III the
eases OF the Standard oil and Iooacco
combinations is answered. by saying
.LXe broke up the combination. 49,
That is what was accomplished WIZ
the Standard Oil. Tobacco ana PoWoer
combinations. and number Of others
prosecuted during this administrator.
Mr. Frank r. Kenogg's article from
which 1 have quoted. was written az =
time when he was supporting Col0nt'
Roosevelts candidacy for the Presldeh-
tisI nomination At the hands Of the Re
publican party. and therefor" cannon 20
regarded as coming from q source ull-
Friendly TO him. He completely answer
eli the contentious put forward by Dole,
mel Roosevelt TO minimize the eIeSI ol
that decision. | seriously commend th'
uerusal Of the article to the colonel