The times., 1899-11-11
REFUSED HIS TESTIMONY.
The Industrial ComnsisstOH Declines
10 Hear George Rice

6
TO Hear George Rice.
The Industrial Commission found trouble
awaiting it upon resuming its hearings in
this city yesterday Two witnesses we're
scheduled to testify IN opposition to the
methods Of the Standard oil Company. One
Of these George Rice, formerly OF Marietta
Ohio, now of New York, has been heard
by the Commission before, and bis former
testimony has been disputed by members
of the Standard Oil Company Consider
able personality was INDUCED in by the
Standard people against Mr. Rice. and the
Commission passed resolutions at the time
that a witness whose character had been
questioned by witnesses who followed him
could have opportunity to reply on that
subject by written testimony. In order to
avail himself Of the privilege extended IN
der this resolution, Mr., Rice came to
Washington yesterday prepared to submit
his testimony which he had had printed
and copyrighted.
The Commission called Mr. Rice before
it while in executive session, and explained
TO him that he would have to submit his
testimony for examination before he would
be allowed TO go on the stand and offer ii
formally Mr. Rice. complying with this
request, submitted a copy of his proposed
testimony, whereupOn the Commission, it
is said proceeded to edit it, cutting out
something like one-fourth of the whole.
The parts thus eliminated were claimed by
members of the Commission to be irrele-
want, and also to contain assertions which
were not supported by proof. After occupy
ing the forenoon in discussing this matter
it was decided to allow Mr. Rice to take
no uf Q.
In the afternoon A. B. Gall. President
and Managing Director of the Sun Oil
Company, of Montreal, Can, told the
Commission of the methods of the Stand
| ard Oil Company in the Dominion
He said it was not until July Of last
year that the Standard oil Company had
made a bid for Canadian business, but
that since their advent they had caused
great havoc among the home companies.
He charged them with making secret
agreements with the railroads, whereby
the rates on oil were doubled to the inde-
pendent companies, and part OF the money
so collected he declared, was paid over
to the Standard Company by the railroads.
The Standard Oil Company employed secret
agents, the witness said, TO take samples
Of oil from the tank cars of independent
( companies so as to ascertain the nature
of the oil they were selling. They also
followed the wagons of the independent
companies to find out who their customers
were and they would Immediately send
their statesmen to solicit the trade.
The price of freight had advanced on
oil from 10 cents a hundred pounds to as
nigh as 46 cents, and it was now i3 cents
a hundred. This advance was made solely
by the Canadian roads. The rate from
| the Pennsylvania oil fields to the Canadian
line was but cents a hundred, and this
rate has remained the same The mana
gers and officers Of the Canadian roads,
Mr. Gall said refused TO talk on the sub
ject, and although they would not throw
man out of their Offices bodily, they pTac
tically did so by utterly refusing to say
a word about the advance in rates. He
said that some time prior to the putting
up Of the rate on oil. representatives of
the Standard Oil Company were always at
the Offices Of the railroad company, and
! he was positive that they knew the ad
vance was to be made although no other
shippers were notified Of the same until
the new schedule had been put into effect.
/ The Standard Oil Company took advantage
Of this knowledge by shipping in a large
amount of oil just before the new rates
were charged. He was positive in his
statement that the Standard had not paid
the higher rate, but that they Were in
colusion with the Canadian railroads.
Freight rates on other merchandise had
been reduced instead of being increased
since the rate onyu had been raised.
Mr. Gall is a British subject. and said
he had been in the oil business in Canada
for the past eleven years. Before the
Standard began business there the price Of
oil in bulk ranged from Z II cents a gal
Ion to u 1-2 cents. Now oil cannot be re-
tailed for less than IS cents gallon. The
tariff charged by the Canadian Government
on American oil is 5 cents a gallon This,
the witness thought was too high, and he
said promises had been made that it would
be reduced in the future. He said that
since the Standard company had entered
the Canadian field his company had been
compelled to confine itself almost eXclu-
sively to handling lubricating oil.
The witness was questioned as to the
popular sentiment Of the Canadians on the
question Of trusts and monopolies. He
said that the sentiment was against such
monopolies, but that barring the oil trust
and the sugar monopoly. there was no other
aggregation Of capital at present control
ing any Canadian industry. He said that
the Canadian House OF Parliament would
be asked to investigate the action OF the
railroads.
MRS. BUTTON DETAINED.