Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-06-18

4. M. LOCKWOOD, AN INDEPEND-
ENT OIL PRODUCER, TELLS OF
THE METHODS OF THE MONOP-
OILY AND THE RAILROAD--CHAR
ACTERIZES THE BUSINESS
METHODS IN VOGUE AS HIGH
WAY ROBBERY - SUPREME
COURTS PACKED AND TRUST
HIRELINGS ELEVATED TO HIGH
PLACES WHERE THEY MAY DO
THE BIDDING OF THEIR OWN
ERS-HOW STANDARD OPPOSI-
TION WAS CRUSHED.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE in
dastrial commission to-day heard a
statement from l.. NJ. Lockwood, an oil
producer of Zelinople, Pa, in opposition
to the Standard Oil Trust Mr.. Lock-
wood declared that this company had
driven the independent refiners into
bankruptcy and servitude and he de-
nounced the course pursued in severe
terms. He held the railroads espec-
ialy responsible for this condition of
affairs. Going back to 1872 he referred
at length to contract made by the
trunk lines of Pennsylvania with the
Southwest Improvement Company. I'm
der this contract, he said the freight
rates on oil were doubled and one-half
the amount collected was paid back
as rebate-not only this, but the con-
tracing company received like re-
bate on the shipments of all other COM
panies. This contract, he declared, had
been secretly continued by the rail-
roads with the Standard Oil Company.
He quoted a. j. Cassatt, the new pres
ident of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, as testifying before the In
ter-State Railway Commission to the
effect that while the open rate to the
public was $3.50 per barrel, the rate to
the Standard Company was so cents
Further investigation, said Mr.. Lock-
wood, had developed the fact that the
railroad companies actually
RECEIVED ONLY 35 CENTS.
This condition of affairs had resulted
Tor time, according to the witness,
in giving the Standard Company a
profit Of 400 per cent, while the indie
pendent refineries were being rapidly
driven into bankruptcy
Mr.. Lockwood was free in the use of
epithets charecterizing both the oil
company and railroad officials as high
wayman and brigands.
Ii you have got to be robbed" he
exclaimed, 1T does not matter much
whether you are held up by Dick Tur-
pin with pistol or by John D. Rookie
Teller with railroad; it is robbery all
the same"
He said that men who had carefully
analyzed the testimony taken before the
Hepburn committee estimated that in
sixteen months time the five trunk
lines of Pennsylvania had paid the
Standard Company $11 ,000,0 in re-
bates. The railroad companies had. he
said, completely ignored the orders of
the Interstate Commission to cease
their discrimination in favor of the
standard Company, resorting then to
the system of false billing.
speaking of the remedy for the evil.
MI Lockwood said it was in public
ownership of the railroads. and it was
not to be found in the courts-the
courts We're too SLOW and expensive.
Inc railroads and the oil company
can razoo man up and down in the
courts for ten years, he said, until he
is ruined financially and then go on
with their work, leaving their victim
stranded. As reward the combines
elevate their instruments to higher
places politically. Thus it was that the
thought of the common people was
gradually becoming fixed to the effect
that the great railway combines were
gradually packing the Supreme Court
with men in sympathy with their mo-
nopolistic tendencies and who would
do their bidding. Thus the Interstate
commerce law was rendered ineffec-
tive"
If the railroad companies can control
the appointment of the attorney general
and of justices Of the Supreme Court
what do they care for the law" the
witness asked
The only safe plan, sail Mr. Lock-
wood, was to take the railroads out of
the hands ofthe corporations and place
them under control of the government
so that every man could go to market
as cheaply as every other man. He
considered all the railroads of the coun-
try as practically one gigantic trust and
asserted that they were in control of
oul pOiiNlCS, Contributing millions TO
elect legislators, senators and Judges
and to punish those not willing to do
their bidding With absolute equality
over the roads the independent com
panies would drive the Standard Oil
company into a secondary place in
short time. There would then. he as
serted, be no more shooting down of
striking miners. for the miner could
send his product to market as cheaply
rs the mine monopolist. So in all
sther lines of business. If the govern
ment did not control the RAILWAYS the
railways would control the government.
He advocated the taking of the
roads under the
RIGHT OF EMINENT DOMAIN.
paying the owners the actual value of
heir property.
The afternoon session of the COM
mission was characterized by the de-
eelopment of differences among the
members of the commission as to the
character of testimony that should be
admitted. Mr.. Lockwood made the
statement that Judge Albert Haight of
the New York Court of Appeals had
been elevated to his present position
by the corporations through the use of
corruption funds, because of his action
In what is known as the Matthews case
"a proceeding of the railroad combin