The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-06-19


that the company had driven the inde-
pendent rennerics into bankruptcy and
ser,itude and he denounced the course
pursued ia severe terms He held the rail
roads especially responsible for the con-
dlbon of affairs Going back to 1872 he
referred at length 10 a contract made by
ne trunk fines Of Pennsylvania with the
south Improvement company Under this
contract, he said. the freight rates on
ou were doubled and half the amount
collected was paid back as rebate-not
oniy this but the contract company re-
ceived a like rebate Of the shipments. Of
an other companies This contract he
declared had been secretly continued by
the railroads wtth the Standard oil com
pauy. He quoted A. j. Cassett, the new
president of the Pennsylvania railroad as
testifyng before the Interstate railway
commission to the effect that whne the
open rate 10 the public was Sl.s0 per bar
re the rate ~ the Standard company
was so cents Further investigation said
Mr. Lockwood had Developed the fact
that tie railroad companies actually re-
ceived only 80 cents. This condition of
affairs had resulted for a time, accord
ing to the witness, in giving the Stand
ard OH company profit OF 400 per cent.
while the independent refineries were be-
ing d Ilven rapidly into bankruptcy. Mr.
Lockwood was free in the use Of eplthets
Characterzing both the company and
the railroad officials has highwaymen and
brigands.
"lf you have got to be robbed" he ex-
Grained" It does not matter much whe-
ther you are held up by Dick Turpin with
pistol or by John Rockafel,er with a
railroad; 1t Is ROBBERY all the same"
lie said that men who carefully analy-
lied the testimony taken before the
Hepburn committee estimated that in 1856
months time the five trunk lines ofPen-
nsylvania had paid the Standard Oh Com
pany sl1.OOO 600 in rebates. The railroad
companies had he said. had completely
Ignored teh order OF the industrial state
commerce to stop their discrimination
nl favor OF the Standard company. re-
soring them to the system OF false bill
ing
The afternoon session was character
lied by difficulties among the members
as TO character Of testimony that should
be admitted. Mr. Lockwood made the
statement that Judge Albert Halt of the
New York court OF appeals. had been ele-
waited to his position by the corpora IONS
through the use OF corruption fund, be-
cause Of his action OF what Is known as
the Mtthews case a proceeding OF rail-
road combination against the independ-
ent renneries. lie afterwards said that
while convinced that the facts ere as he
stated he had not actually seen the fund
and therefore the statement was an in
ference only
CHARACTER OF TESTIMONY.
At this point Mr.. Farquahr rose to
protest against the character of the tes-
imony. saying that Judge Halt was his
next door ne.ghbor He had never be
fore heard an imputation upon his char
acter lie appealed 10 Mr.. Lockwood to
have the statement striken out OF his
testimony
"The statement" he said was not tes-
umony but pure libel
Mr.. Lockwood said that he also knew
Judge HAT and that he had been surpris-
cl at the apparent developments. The
ssue had ben raised In the campaign
ana he understood that he ran behind his
ticket
After few general remarks BY others
~ the commission as TO the advisablity
gresham Bell arose and made Wig
orous protest against the demand TO
eliminate any OF the testimony. II was
not he said the province OF the committee
tell a witness what he must say. He
said tnat he had noticed that some mem
bers Of The committee were sensitive
WIN something was said which did not
entirely Fan in with their predlrelec,lons.
II was perfectly competent for any man
coming here to entertain opinions ..
any of hese subjects and 10 ADVANCE
them. Ia ths connection he said Cover
nor Lorraabee OF Wyoming. had said
that there were two judges on the SUI
preme court bench who We're put there
Tor the purpose OF securing the ntrliaea-
uon of tho Granger law. He also cited
other cases in which tho railroads had
secured the appointment Of Judges whose
We're win them. II this were
so said Mr.. Bell, why should a man h.
barred from saying so. And II the COM
mission was not going 10 perun5t such
testimony he would be compelled to sav
" hen Il came 10 haldng the report ~ |
me commission, that il had not been non
partisan. As another Illustration ~ m,
mani ipuiation on the part of the railroads |
ne quoted rpuhican member Of the
congressional postal commission as saw
hg that ats proceedings would come 10 |
laught, as The second assistant post
naaler general, Is in company with the
allroads A man was not sacred ne d.
'isred because Of the place he occupied
ana If a Judge on the bench is elevated
20 his position by dvious means it weuld
BOT be rhe suty Of the commission to
screen him.
Former Congressman Phillips. held
nan the testimony was competent. In
lis statement before he commission YES.
.efaay' @. r. Dove of the Commercial |
tHNaers association. submitted figures
20 SHOW that the organization Of truss |
'''a resulted m throwing 5000 salesmen |
~ OF employment and IN reducing the |
Ai'ilea OF 5000 more He estimated mar
he annual lose 10 the aalesmen ,u ae-
-oun' Oh .oss Of employment and reduc-
On aFsregated $4,000 600: to the hotels
500 goo and OF the railroads SCI Ooo ooo he
''use oi the loss of patronage
'As @feh,so" Topeka & santa Ne Ry. 90.
Topeka. Kan, June 10. 1soa
gents Missouri River and Wests-