New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-28

answer The committee held consultation ana
decided that the question was proper one anu so
ought to be pressed. But Mr. Rocketoiler SO
humbly and sweetly besought the COMMITTED nov
opportunity to confer with his COUNSEL that the the
committee rclented, and when Mr Onoat1e %; na
dropped some svery notes into OUlo as reserved
Then the witness found il all smooth SAILING
again and proceeded to tell what good thing
the trust was both for those ihSuo anu 'hoSe
he said the Trust had not sought IN any way to-
restrict the prol uction OF rehnel on III ofcr ~
command higher prices; some Daily oonstrnc en
and manaQei rcfi icries had ceased business me
companies in the Trust rather had Increased ms
produciion of refined oil both by the u-e OF im,
proved m Machinery and in other WAYS; there had
bcen no attempt OF anv kind to repress CONN IL
tI"n The lanca ard OIL Companies were IN the bet
of ierm, wi ali thor opponents neither the
Trust nor any OF the 'tineres In 1t had IN any
wsv lone anything. either bv agreement or Ia any
prodrctIoi 81 crude oil. Insiead of TRYING To IN
crease prices bv Withholding oil ir,m the marTci,
The Standard OIL Companies were all The TIME trv-
ing to lind markers for the oil, and the bu mess
was manages solely with regard to the sapplS and
demand and thas only: no arrancement or com
blnation of Guy kind 81 far as he knew existed by
winch the STANDARD OH Companies received lower
rates for transportation; b1t they had found IN
stances where other o0moa lics received sometimes
lower rates han the STANDARD OIL Companies
TOUCHING on TUE PIPE LINES.
Colonel Bliss next started q little pipe line in
gestigalion. but elected only udIngs of comfort
and JOY" Mr. Rockefeller said that about
$3OOOo.OO0 of the Trusts $90,0000OO
Of certificates represented these pipe
line companies They had not boon
brilt by the Trus'. but bad been ad Jed
Of or ITS tonne alton. There WIS cOmpefing pipe
line which took oil from York TO Pirladeiphl?
and Lot controlled In any way by the standard
las t 10 Trust any interest in that line p asked
Co,ouei Bliss. 80
not enough 10 control IT.
You thong u II YOU bought the horseshoe yOu
would eventually get the horse r obse we'd 60 oDe
Bliss VITA tie susp .cion at But Mr.. Rookie
teller didn't SeIgn to notice II other tnan by scht
lf'iug of his eyebrows. He declared tIat the
Trust companies did not discriminate against any
other mpanies in transporting OIL through their
pipes he trace IN p,,'ine cer''hcates was
thrown open I" the world llcrOGlt not be induced
10 admit that the Trust controlled tIe market price
OF either crude or renned oil
Al oclccI the Committee adjourned for three
quaIIes If an hour, bat It was some
thing after O'clock befoie work les rmed.
The "a Ill wlsIt NJ ROCke'eii r.. h)Sey'r AS
became,a mag 1a'e" he 'nt"ntrd hin'clf With q
frugal lunc1. Colonel Bliss first resented and
deemed The statement contained II an afternoon
paper that nc was realty ne OF the counsel Of me
by 'rosentinr" and "delying' sv ee;lS OF course
The newspaper ln,inaations thai tie Standard
Oh people lad trieo 10 shlik an investigation
TIE INTRICATE WORKING OF THE TRUST.
Colonel Bliss tried in vain TO GEL a clear idea of
how the Trust kept track of the operations OF all
the cons uent cOmoanles Mr. Rockefeller sad
in eff &C. hat the trustees were officers 10 those
oomusnies and to it that the returns to the
parent Trust were all fair and square. The trustees
attended TO the business of the Trust and dat IN
dugs aDv private soecnl Itl"n' in OIL Their
meetiug were always harmonious ald were heId
once every three mOaths.
mere Ge leral Pryor TOOK hand IN the lnves'Rf-
lnIeroSteI
cOYPry that the trustees could make bylaws and
alter Mr. Rockefeller had confessed his GnOr-
ance of VITA sort OF bylaws er had made. Gen
eIa PfvOr ha1 cOnten' himSelt with :be promise
that n co V Or tue bylaws sh uld be sent To he
cohmi.;ec. Mr.. Rookie G Ter could NOT Ell how, how
MANY companies we're emb AGED IN the rust Ihry
Tepres el refining com jaaleS, GealDs companies
ano pipe hne c"mprnie. lie oid no. fhnk me iIust
Ia . corn'a'v H. San FranrIsr". He could roi
tell what the profits were for SS7 because the
accounting had not been completed and wOu dnt
nc for me months. The shares Of the trust
200 Shareholders the market value OF the stock
WAS now IL %.
TRUSTEES MoCKArIC IN THrIR MrTnoDs
There were eight trustees with one vacancy to
fill. Mr. Rockefeller added. They were demo-
cratic in their methods, the majority ruling
General Puorw'uld object t" producing herecords
OF tho tng~ of tho during the last year
Mr. Rock rfcileri don't know that personally should oh
eci. uubusnesslke proceeding. We came
here prepared All proper Information to the commit
tee counsel before promised
10 produce the records of our meetings
Pryor nrise lv) / shall ask the committee TO
direct the produce records OF the meetings OF
the
MI Oloate (blandlv-I shall ask the committee not TO-
make any Ich direction. as not being necessary
COLONEL Bliss tsi bandly-I shall ask tue commit
tee T.. ac executive session.
The committee agreed to that, and peace like a
dove again descended upon the scene. General
Pryor eSsayed in vain to get the witness to admit
that the Standard Oil Company got better rates
from the railroads than the other companies MI
Rockefeller of the opinion that on the whole
they Jared about the same
Colonel Bliss returned 10 the examination again
ava INQUIRED about the foreign business OF the
trust. In some countries notably Turkey, they
were hard pushed to hold their markets by Russian
competition, and in some instances had to make
considerable concessions in prices sometimes sell
ing without any profit at all. The total earnings
OF the trust would average something like IL IL
or 10 per cent.
In response to a suggestion from Mr.. Choate,
Mr Rockefeller had an opportunity to give his
estimate Of the result of the operations of the
trust lie thought good had resulted from it all
round, the market had been rendered steadler and
prices had been everywhere reduced to the con
sumner. The trust aimed to manufacture cheaply
and do large margin Of business on small mar
gin of profits. The wages paid were good, no
trouble was ever had with the worImen and so far
from seeking to crush out competitors was the
trust that il actually loved them.
TRYING TO RETAIN THE BOOKS.
In this mood he consented TO tell what salaries
the trustees received. which stated in the
agreement, S25, 900, and an additional $4,000 for
the president There was still another snag to be
gotten out of the way. lie had refused to produce
the records of the meetings Of the trustees lie
hOr,oa that the domand would not hc pressed
IL have no hesitation in saying SAID Colonei
Bliss that shall advise the committee not TO
demand those books
And have no hesitation in advising the com
mittee TO press their demand for those books,
said General Pryor with some asperity: " re
card them as of the highest importance in this in
vest cation. and the committee is quite within its
rights in asking for them
This is a case where doctors disagree said
Senator Arnold and the committee will have to
decide ITSELF