LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Remember This? Standard Oil v. United States

Plaintiff: Standard Oil of New Jersey


Defendant: United States

Plaintiff's Claim: That Standard Oil was not in violation of the Sherman Anti-trust Act by conspiring to restrain trade.

Chief Lawyer for Plaintiff: John G. Milburn

Chief Lawyer for Defendant: Frank B. Kellogg

Justices for the Court: Rufus R. Day, John Marshall Harlan I, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Charles E. Hughes, Joseph R. Lamar, Horace H. Lurton, Joseph McKenna, Willis Van Devanter, Chief Justice Edward D. White

Justices Dissenting: None

Date of Decision: May 15, 1911

Decision: Ruled in favor of the United States by affirming a lower court order that Standard Oil be broken apart.

Progressives and the Era of Trust-Busting

Oil Corps and Banking Corps too -- they desperately need to be busted up before they destroy the planet all together.

6 comments:

K. said...

The 1911 Supreme Court wasn't exactly a band of flaming liberals. A number of them voted in the Plessy v. Ferguson majority and the Chief had articulated a legal philosophy that limited government standing to break up monopolies. And yet it broke up Standard Oil. This just shows how far to the right and how dogmatic the debate has become.

I enjoyed the paper. The worst thing that ever happened to Microsoft was not being broken up. It's become an unwieldy behemoth that has so far lost out on music, search engines, publishing, and phones. Apple has surpassed it in value. Windows and Office are still cash cows, but a company can only milk a cash cow for so long before it gives out. A break up would have create smaller, more nimble entities that would have had a much better chance of responding to the internet world.

Foxessa said...

I know. Oliver Wendell Holmes, fer pete's sake.

I remember in my h.s. history texts, and maybe in some other books of political cartoons, maybe?, those depictions from the era of Standard Oil as this oily octopus strangling the United States, and heroic Teddy (who highjacked Cuba's War of Independence and put in place U.S. hegemony, let us not forget) slicing off one tentacle after another.

Where is this will today?

Love, C.

K. said...

Click here and scroll down for the cartoon you remember!

Foxessa said...

This is the one I was remembering, actually:

http://www.miningswindles.com/assets/images/lawson_cartoon03.png

Not to mention this one, which I also remember:

http://www.onepennysheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Standard_oil_600.jpg

K. said...

The second one is amazing! Where can I get the t-shirt?

Foxessa said...

You'll have to make it, I guess!

Love, C.