El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-09

Waters-Pierce and Standard
Likely to Figure in the
Coming Campaign.
LIGHTFOOT MAY
PROSECUTE AGAIN

Austin. Tex, March s.-How many
more men IS the Waters-Pierce Oil
company going to make and UnmaBe,
politically speaking. in Texas2 This IS
a question that is again arousing the
interest of. and being discussed among
men in this state who have watched
the trend Of political events due to
the place this concern has made to
occupy IL the contest between aspiring
men and factions OF the democratic
party 1t has enabled in the past
several state Officers to ride into their
respective places Of political prefer
ment upon the trust buster steed
There is now a prospect of this old
morse being reJuvenated and made to
do duty in the next campaign.
The Waters-Pierce Oil company and
the STANDARD OIL company are to be
made the objects Of another round OF
legal prosecutions at the hands OF the
attorney generals department If il is
found that the testimony in the case
at 81 Louis recently in which wit
nesses charged that both these con-
Germs were stiu doing business in Tex
as under subterfuges, nOtWithstand-
ing their custer from the state is
based on facts. j. p LightfOOt, at
tOrney general left at once for St
Louis. accompanied by John ". Brady,
assistant attorney general. their pur-
pose being TO institute an investiga-
tiOn into the charges with q view to
prosecuting the two concerns
Was il a SubterfuEef
Following the second custer Of the
Watars-Pierce Oil company from Tex
as the private joint stock company,
called the -EOrdyce Oil associa-
ton, was filled by the OutlaWed cor
porariOn The Pierce FOrdyce Oil as
sociation. at the time the attorney
general granted it permission TO do
IN maj that il
was in no way connected with the
Waters-Pierce OIL company, although
IL took over all the latters holdings
in Texas. The fine which the courts
assessed and collected from the
Waters-Pierce Oil company for Tiolat-
ing the antitrust laws was approx
mately $500. 000-
The Standard oil company which
was operating in Texas under the
name of the Security OIL company ana
the Navarro Refining company, was
also found guilty Of violating the anti
trust laws about the same time that
judgment was rendered against the
KVaters-Pierce Oil company The stand
ard OIL company was likewise ousted,
and It is now alleged according to the
testimony given in the st. Louis case
that il is still operating in Texas un-
DER the name Of the Magnolia Pc
troleum company This latter company
owns the same property that form
erly belonged to the Standard IN this
LdghtfOot May Prosecute.
Just what the proceedings against
the two concerns now doing business
I'm Texas viii be- II IL is found that
they are subterfuges Of the custer
companies in violation OF the court
decree, II is not yet publicly known
Mr.. LlghtfOOt having made no state
ment as to his plans in tins regard
1t is the political side Of the possible
developm ents Of this unusual case that
most interests the people Of this state.
It is practically certain tnaI the
charges made in the st. Louis case
viii be an issue in the coming cam
paign for attorney general IN IeNas-
Political opponents of Mr. Llghuoot
who is a candidate for reelection al
ready charge that his trust busting
methods were a failUre-that he failed
TO exercise proper care IN enforcing
the decree OF the court by which the
Waters Pierce Oil company and the
Standard oil company were outla "eo
But for the Development IN the 81
louis case there would perhaps have
been at least one political campaign
H. This state without H. Clay Pierce
end his oil concern having been made
one of the chief issues There mas
hardly been a man In pubic he IN
Texas for the last y years who mas
MOI been made TO feel in one way OF
another the effect Of this issue
ATTORNEY general r. v DAVIDSON Won
his second term of that office on the
Waters Pierce Oil company issue ne
rei0g the officer who instituted the
second prosecution that fesu-.eu III
its custer from Texas
The Pierce Trial.
Another phase Of this long drawn
out fight was the criminal lnulC I'm IN
and prosecution OF MI FleIce IA t.S
district court at Austin, the charge
arsinst him being that OF false swear
ing ana having made aIIlodNlI -
the Waters-Pierce Oh company We
NOT a part of or cOnIrOlleQ Dy II u.s.
an III
it only served TO intensity me Lac 7
tional political fight in tne Slale, t4lu
80 fo- fhe fact that Mr.. Balley oe-
cf0ed that he would not aSa-I ~ .
candidate for the senate the olo issue
would probably nave sAISlSN -ss
senatorial campaign ,.--.s
Nov mai the old antitrust charges
have been revived against l4e
pany as well as against ~ ee-tsi1
on company it IS practlcaIly Cel -
that Mr.. Pierce and his COMPANY WI
again be one Of the paramount IaSl-
ors in the attorney genera 5 LaSS ta.-a
year irresp ectiFe OF WnellleI ~ t-l e.
foot finds testimony given ~ me -.
Louis case sufficient TO pase ne"
prosecution OF the alleged o1Iehuels-
The Senatorial Race.
IT is not improbable that LUIS LSsUe
NAV get into the senatorial camp q y
cone Johnson, who is 3 leaolnS cahu--
Safe 40 succeed Mr.. Bailey has peen
long q political opponent OF the 49, -
pnd is prominently -uoLl ta--l- ~ 49, -
element Of democracy that mas DeoA
rr-aeirsr q warfare against the waters
1ie-oa OH company for the last several
wears j. T. VOTERS, who is regarded
80 Bailev's choice for the senate mas
been the latter's political supporter All
during these trying umes-
me- is one thing very evident
however no matter what the result
Of NJ iightfoot's Investigation Of the
two alleged offending companies may
be, and that is that trust Us IN =, -
lost 10 a large degree, its popularity
in Texas.
crv ADrKTTTEnIN