Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-05-08
ACT AND GOSSIP
IN BUSINESS
WORLD
sy 3. c. FORBES.

eral had just reached his office after
months absence from Washington As
he entered he noticed crowd of trust
magnates and lawyers Hardly had he
opened his desk when secretary an
nouncee that large number of gentle
men we're clamoring 10 see him
Who are they" demanded Mr.. Wick
ershsm
notice quite few heads Of trusts,
ventured the secretary.
Omh' More Of them trying to escs pc
Inc consequences of their wrongdoing 1
can stop the machinery Of the law The
law must take its course. This is no
tlme to halt prosecutions Didn't | re-
mark year ago that there were about
a hundred black sheep that | would get
after? There's been enough said about
withholding the Harvester suit No, l
must do my duty"
The secretary waited for instructions.
MT Wickersham fumbled among formid-
able-looking documents
snail tell them all to go away. sir?''
he asked timidly
The attorney general obviously was an
noyed. He fumbled nervousIy. mo. show
them in III talk straight to them" he
snapped
''Mr Wickersham, we want to beg
YOU
The attorney general impa tiently
stopped the speaker. His face reddened
He cleared his throat ominously.
1t no use begging me. gentlemen. to.
depart from the course this department
has mapped out" he began, talking very
rapidly. You know, or ought to know,
tina It is highly improper TO seek to tempt
a government official to depart from the
path of duty. My duty is plain mean
TO perform 1t no matter how unpleasan nj
the consequences. may be for some Of
you You are conscious that YOU have
violated''-
But, Mr. Attorney General. we don't
want to persuade You not to prosecute.
interrupted the spokesman.
Nothing you may say can influence me
10 desist, broke in Mr. Wickershanf
tartly you are wasting your time and
mine, too. The cabinet has settled upon
It's policy and am here TO faithfully car
ry out its wishes. Monopolistic combina
tons that are plainly in violation Of the
sherman law must be broken IN. Do
not make myself plain?"
Yes, but We are not here to ask you
to drop"
Gentlemen, | must not listen to your
pleadings. he again interrupted a his
visitors stared at one another in amaze
ment THE court. not my private office
Is the proper place for the presentation
OF arguments There has been in the past
too much of the side-door Interviewing
of high officials by trust owners. | viii
not submit TO it. With every respect to
YOU gentlemen, l must ask you to con
slider this interview over"
He rose and waved his hand toward
the door. There was general confusion
IN the room. No one appeared to know
what to do. 4 hurried consulta ton took
place as movement began toward the
door The speaker. rising. said bluptly:
Sir. we came here TO beg you to dis
solve us
what2" shouted the attorney gen
ersl
I'VE request that the government should
not bestow the favors of prosecution and
dissolution upon few favorite combins
tons and leave us out in the cold Our
securities are selling altogether too low
We can not raise capital on advanta eeous
terms. We want to be in position to
distribute few melons among our stock
holders Why should the Standard Oil
Company and the American Tobacco Com
pany be singled out for preferential treat
ment? Weren't they rich enough before
you added scores of millions 10 their mar
ket value by ordering them disintegrat-
ed?"
The attorney general was too dunn
founded for utterance.
,,vr-
said the American Wooden Company's rep
resentstlve And, besides. even our pre-
ferred stock is away below par"
Everybody knows we are bad trust.
pleaded the Smelter trusts la wyer THE
people have wanted us prosecuted. Isn't
that something in our favor?"
We wear the Standard Oil label and
surely ought to receive recognition" in
terjected the Corn Products alias the
Glucose trust, delegate
Haven't We prior claim" piped up
the Sugar trust lawyer. Just think how
awfuy wicked we have been"
! think You will admit that General
Electric is big enough to be worthy of
notice, spoke up another "Mr Knox
Smith has said we are aspiring monopol-
lists"
Our dividends have had to be cut,
complained National Leads representa-
tive Please break MS up. We need the
money
The rubber business isn't what il used
to be- won't YOU kindly dsintegrate us. -
beseeched the L. S Rubber trusts law
yer.
The attorney general was speechIess.
We are willing to draw lots to see who
shall be the first to be made rich by dis
solution proceedings, said the first
speaker We realize that il the govern
ment hestows its favors lavishly their
market value may decline
I'm bring the matter before the cab
met Gentlemen, good day" And the
historic sederunt ended
COTTON SEED OIL.