Show I r. ING RICH MEN MEX TO TIME Judge Kene Kenesaw aw M. M Landis o of the federal court at xit Chicago has done a service to the republic Ho lie has found the Standard Oil on company guilty of violating th the pro provisions of oC the interstate commerce low law and all their I devious devices for escaping punishment havo been un- un fl In his court The value alue of o Judge Landiss Landis's ruling lees does not consist in the fact that the defendants are rich but bul In the fact that thal the they are arc guilty g Th The fact that thc they are arc rich seems to have been relied upon by the Iho Standard people in lieu o of a defense They rhey had violated the law That was as clear enough But the they seemed to hold to the Iho opinion that the law was made for little men mn for for poor men for men who sho had no HO means man of or corrupting Jurors and mId browbeating prosecuting attorneys They seemed to think think think-as as so o mummy many others ethers o of their sort sort- have hav given evidence of thinking think think- ing that ing-that that they were not amenable to the laws ma made e for common people And Judge Judg-e Landis has given them a rude but healthy awakening In his decision rendered Saturday last J Judge Go says 18 You must obey the law law You must bo he treated Just as ot other er people are arc treated In the tho courts Judge Landis told corporation officials th they could COUll not hide behind each other That sort of or thing Is valuable in this country No nation on earth carth was ever cyer launched with higher Ideals or with more magnificent promise There is nothing th the matter with tho the scheme of or government go devised by our fathers All that is necessary for the perpetuity of the tho nation Is the thc absolute acceptance of ot the rule that all are subservient to the law that all must obey the law that there are arc no exceptions on account of richness or pow power r or k influence The law v must be obeyed That is the helpful consideration consid consid- in the tho termination of this case against the Standard Standard Stand Stand- ard arl Oil company The amount of oC the line Jine is a lesser consideration While that defendant would not be he greatly great great- ly concerned at the tho difference between one and twenty millions as a fine yet at the same time its managers are arc business men They m may l have no conscience at all but bul the they have evaded the law beca because He the they found that course profitable be aus th they y thought they could do It w wIthout without with wIth- th- th out Interruption They will not willingly violate th th law if JC they are aro going to bo ho punished for it The rhe value of or orthe the prosecution so successfully carried forward is in the fact tact that thal the people of at this nation must understand that In the federal court of or Judge and LandIs-and and o of every other judge it is to be hoped rIch hoped rich men stand on precisely the same footing as do poor men Tho rho law Jaw should be no respecter of persons nn and if It the people can be convinced that under the administration o of President noo Roosevelt evelt ItIS It ItIS ItIS IS no respecter of persons the tho power and tho the solidity of oC our republic Is Ig immensely increased I Nothing in fn twenty years has as been een o of so much value to the nation as that ruling of or Judge Landis b by by which the absolute Integrity of the law Is Is' Is established |