Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-03
TREELAND, PA, NOVEMBER 3, 1898
JBNKS AND THE STANDARD.
Legislation of 1883 and 1895 in Which
Democrats and Republicans Prom
inentlY FIGURED.

The untruthful and malicious charge
that the Hon. George A. jerks, the
Democratic candidate for governor. is
a Standard OIL company candidate
comes with bad grace from the Re
publican machine, and 1t will require
but abrief study of the legislation coun-
tersigned by Governor Hastings to
prove who has been the friend of the
notorious oil octopus.
The oil producers and independent oil
ref1ners Of Pennsylvania first felt the
tentacles of the monster as far back as
1872. They repeatedly sought relief at
the hands of Republican governors and
legislators, only to meet with crushing
defeat They saw fortunes represent
ing years of privation and indomitable
pluck and energy slipping away from
them INTO the Golfers of the Standard
Oh company which had made an al
lance with every railroad doing busi-
ness IN pennsylvania for the purpose of
preventing the shipment of any oil to
the seaboard not owned or controlled
by the Standard. Oil which had cost
the producers about SO per barrel was
forced down to 40 cents per barrel. Pow
erty compelled the producers to sell
after holding out for better prices until
all hope was gone. This oil represent
ing some millions of barrels was af-
terwards unloaded upon the consumers
by the Standard at the advanced fig
ure of 81 per barrel. BY this stroke
both producers and consumers were
robbed, and John Rockefeller, James
Bostwick and Henry Flagler paved the
way to millions of dollars and an un-
enviable notoriety. No better evidence
or the unsaVory character of the Stand
ard gang is needed than the fact that
to charge an aspirant for political hon
ors with having had friendly relations
with 1t is thought to be sufficient to
damn him in the hearts of all honest
people.
1t was not until a Democratic gov
ernor with a Democratic legislature
and senate controlled by Democrats,
assisted by such independent Republi-
cans as Emery, Stewart and Lee, came
into power that any legislation favor
able to the oil producers and inde-
pendent refiners was obtained In that
year, 1883, was passed bill, entitled,
IAN act to prevent the consolidation of
competing pipe lines for the transporta-
tion of oil, or to hold the controlling
interest in the stocks or bonds of COM
peting pipe lines, or the acquisition of
toHlIOlt cllneT directly or indirectly, by
purchase or otherwise and prescribing
penalties for the same" The act was
blow at the efforts of the Standard to
corrupt the stockholders of independent
pipe lines by offerings of money to such
as would sell or dispose of their stock
in any way to the oil octopus agents.
Competition in the transportation of
oil by pipe lines was not in harmony
with Standard methods of monopoly
and as the Standard had certain rail-
road officials mortgaged to them the
next move was to obtain control of
competing lines of oil pipe.
Efforts to have the law of 1888 de-
clared unconstitutional ended in fail
ure. Recourse was then had to the
more indirect method of buying stocks
and bonds of such as would sell their
interests in the competing lines. Hard
times induced some to surreptitiously
dispose of their interests and others
sold openly to men not suspected then
of being connected with the Standard
Oil company. In this manner the
Standard obtained a large interest.