The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-05
Its Competitors We're Ruined BY Fair Means
II Possible, but Way Was Usually Found
to Remove Troublesome Opponent.
Messrs. Caswell and Guenther Criticise
the Democratic Tariff Measure.
An Explanation of Mr.. Ingalls's Recent Allu-
sion TO Knights Of the Golden Circle and
Belgian Ritles-Washington Notes.
THE TRUST INQUIRY.

Further Testimony as to the Standards
Methods-The Investigation Closed.
WASHINGTON. May AIR. George Rice, OF
Marietta. O., Was recalled by the House COM
mittee on manufactures to-day. He produced a
statement showing The difference in tariff rates
on coal oil and cotton seed oil on the Missouri
Pacific and the Queen & Crescent railroads,
coal oil going south and cotton-seed oil north.
The Louisville & Nashville road officials had alb
solutely refused to give the witness rates south
from Nashville, and he was obliged to ship in a
roundabout way and pay heavier tariff tLan
that charged to other dealers. For the past five
or six years no has received letters from persons
buying oil OF him, in which they complained
that they had been threatened by the Standard
Oil company for purchasing oil from him. he
had large numbers of those letters, and would
produce them before the committee. The wit
ness did not think the ;nterstate-commerce act
was radical enough. There were two important
amendments needed. viz: That the fines and
penalties provided by the act should apply to
the shipper as we'll as to the carrier, and that
these fines and penalties should go to the in
former instead of 10 the government.
Mr.. c. NJ Adams. of st. Louis. secretary OF the
Waters Pierce Oil Company company affiliated
with the Standard, testified that the compenye
act went into effect. from Cleveland to East st.
Louis was forty-seven cents per barrel. and on
barrel oil sixty-two cents A number of ques-
tious were put to the witness with regard to the
rates prior to the passage of the inter
state-commerce act but his reply was that he
could not answer the questions.
Anumber Of letters from various persons on
which Mr.. Rice had based bis statement that
the Standard had attempted to intimidate deal
ers who did not buy oil from il, were next put
in evidence. Their general tenor was that the
Standard had either reduced or threatened to
reduce temporarily the prices OF oil below the
cost of production, wherever merchants bought
oil from Mr.. Rice.
Following are the most striking sentences in
the letters read: Chess. Carley 81 Co., are
threatening to ruin Us in business IL we do not
stop selling OIL" I'VE have been threatened
with humiliation, but so far the coal-oil war
has not begun" ''They would come here and
ruin the business by fair means il they can. by
understand means if necessary"
This closed the investigation. for the time be-
ing, at least, and the committee adjourned sub
ject to a call of the chairman. 1t cannot DO
stated as yet whether the inquiry will be re-
sumed or not. The committee has made quite
an extensive examination into the sugar and
Standard Oil trusts and some Of the members
think it has secured sufficient information on
which 20 base its reportlto the House. After the
ssenographic rspors up TO date has been re-
ceived, the committee will determine what fur
Their steps TO take.