The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-24
REPUBLICAN CITY TICKET.
Senator Camden and the standard OIL
R.,.,,

A feature ofthe North American RerieW Is
the discussion OF questions Of interest
BY persons who may be supposed to be
specially nformed-experts, at least IN
theory. This has been criticised as kind
of nsationalism, unworthy OF magazine
whose long and respectable career has
given it q place in the library oil every well
informed man. The chief objection urged
Ia that men OF no fitness for magazine work,
without culture or style, are admitted as
contributors II they happen to have name
or position. For our own part we rather
like the idea, and whether John Jones,
the greatest dealer in rags, does or does not
write the article, lift contain what he wants
to say on rags, and has his name to 1t, 1t
has special value.
Here, for example, in the February num-
Der, we have Senator Camden on the
Standard Oil Company. Certainly this is
topic Of high interest, and what Senator
Camden says on subject about which he
knows so much will find an audience. He
is a Senator Of the United States; that is
something. He is high in the councils OF
tho Standard Oil Company; that
for the present purpose is much
more. We have, therefore, topic
Of absorbing interest, treated by an
expert. The article occupies ten pages oil
the North american Reriew, and might have
been called the Justification OF a Great
Wrong. Aside from the complaisant, salts
fed air with which the Senator charges
upon the private refineries OF the country
with his pen and topples them over one
after another, nothing in the article is
quite so striking as what is left out.
The Standards great achievements as a
bubble benefactor are dwelt upon in the
soft phrases Of true philanthropy, but we
are told nothing about drawbacks-that in
famous dark.lantern.lodge system. OF
transportation by which u common carrier,
or combination Of carriers, gives to
one shipper advantage over another, re-
sulting in the ultimate and utter
ruin OF the uniavored interest. The COM
plant against the Standard Oil Company
Is, not as Senator Camden affects to think.
that it is managed by brains, has capital
and displays talent for organization.
These are legitimate forces in competition,
encountered in greater or less degree in
every field OF business venture.
The savage complaint OF the producers is
that by reason OF the inside arrangements
with transportation companies tho Standard
is permitted to dictate its own terms, indii
yidual rights are over.ridden in defiance OF
law, and the Standard grows rich on the
misfortunes Of people who have not the
ear Of the high railroad officials. This
ground'of grievance has been investigated
by Legislative committees in New York
and Pennsylvania, the secret contracts
brought to light, and the case fully proved.
When the nominal rate to all shippers
OF refined oil was Sl.444 per barrel the
Standard received 644 cents. "private
rebate" on every barrel-an advantantage
Of O.! cents over other shippers OF a barrel
OF oil, to say nothing Of the boosted brains,
capital and organization. From October II,
1877 to March 81, lS7O-seventeen and a
half months, on shipments OF 1S,556,477
barrels, the Standard received in rebates,
which the public was supposed 10 know
nothing Of, an average Of 55 cents barrel
magnificent total of slo,l5l,9lS. This is
where the money came from as per con-
tract March II, 1877, with each OF the
roads:
u. d o. II per ,ll6 6S5.gS
rev York Central Il per cent....... 2,iSi' .94 %
Erie ~ per ,i9t,ov