Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1912-10-27
TIME REQUIRED
To PICK NAMES
Titles to Be Selected for
Corporations in Several
States Is Difficult Mat
ter for Officials
LAWYERS NECESSARY

The launching Of big corporation
which is inte aided 10 do business
throughout the United States. such
as the new S5O.O0O.0OO Tobacco Pro
ducts Corporation, entails a lot of
work in the selection Of a name, not
because of fastidiousness, but be-
cause in every state there are thou
SANDS of corporations, and 1t is Oft
en- difficult to hit upon a suitable title
that has not been pre-emFted by
some local concern.
Many OF these corporations have
never had more than a paper exist
ence, but that is sufficient TO pre-
vent a company with the same name,
OF even one closely similar to it,
from being admitted to do business
in the state. American" and United
States" which were especially popu,
lar in the era Of trust building, are
Instances of overworked words, but
corporation lawyers are frequently
surprised 20 find names which they
have considered quite original al
ready in the list OF corporations in
one or more states.
Takes Time TO Name.
When the number OF states is con-
sidered, it is at once apparent that
much searching Of records is neces-
sary before a name can be adopted.
il would have been unfortunate, for
instance, il the organizers of the To-
bacCO Products corporation had in,
corporated under that name without
preliminary investigation, and had
found that there were corporations of
the same name in Pennsylvania, lii
nois and Massac husstts, for in those
states il would have been necessary
to form corporations with other
names to become subsidiaries of the
main company.
With 4 manufacturing concern this
would be particularly confusing, as il
might have plants in several states
all owned and operated by different
companies. One brand of cigarettes
might be made in more than one fac
tory, and would thus appear as the
product of companies with different
names This is not so important
where the question IS merely one Of
marketing goods. for which selling
companies may be formed in states
where it Is necessary.
Standard OIL Quick.
The Standard OIL interests have
had difficulties of this kind in the
formation of their scores of cOmpan-
les, although few of them operate
generally throughout the country.
When the Security Oil company was
formed in Texas at least q dozen
names were tentatively selected, only
to be abandoned on finding that they
ConfiiCtcd with other existing COrpOr-
ations Senator Bailey of Texas was
employed on this matter OF the Sc
lection OF a name, and il developed
in one Of the investigations to
which the oil trust was subjected
that he received a fee OF 5000 for
the safe launching of the Security Oil
company.
While the new tobacco company
was in the formative stage several
names were considered and found
available in the principal states or
those in which manufacturing opera
tons were likely. The first step nee
essary after finding a name that had
not been pre-empted was to guard
against its adoption by SOM body
TO incorporate.
MIAMI De TNLlNGfNs
This might happen by accident or
II might happen by intent on the part
Of somebody who saw a chance TO
make a few dollars by Incorporating
in an important state under the
same name and requiring a consider
alton for his consent to the use Of
the name by the Reid interests IN
that state Such things have been
heard OF, corporation lawyers say,
and secrecy is one of the safeguards
that have been found necessary. This
IS why the promoters of the new To-
bacco company were very mysterious
for some time as to the name they
wanted 10 use.
In some STATES a name not in use
can be reserved for a short time by
filing an application with the secre-
tarv Of state, and this was done in
several states and with several names
by Mr. Reds lawyers, White & Case.
The important thing, however. was
to make sure of the name IN New
York state. and here il was neces-
sary actually to Incorporate. So one
day the Tobacco Products corpora
ton was incorporated az Albany with
81 900 capital. It's incoTporatOrs were
Of the usual type Of modest young
men connected with law Offices, whose
names furnished no clue 20 the real
parties ia interest in this case,