The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-07

luey 41V|A441lS
rates. which they did first by rebates and
later by open schedule. a
The system Of rebates has happily re-
ceived the condemnation Of law. The
Standard welcomed the change as q bene-
fcial one. But to say now that 1t should
not have obtained the best rates under
the old system which its position enabled
it to obtain Is an impossible counsel OF
perfection. .s,5
Standard obeys Law.
The evidence before the industrial
commission shows very clearly to any I'M
prejudiced mind that since the enactment
of the interstate commerce law the Stan
dard has .obeyed it in every particular.
The evidence of the Standard managers
and freight agents was corroborated by
the certificates Of managers and freight
agents of all the leading railways OF the
United States to the effect that by no re-
bates, arrangements, devices or plans of
any character had the Standard received
less rates than other shippers. .I.
It Is true that allegations to the con-
trary were made before the commission,
but these were founded upon surmise and
were not sustained by proof. Neither did
the commission find them to be true. Any
candid man who will read the evidence
must be satisfied of the truth Of the facts
sworn to by the Standard OIL company,
corroborated as they are by the officers
and agents of the railroads themselves.
. = The Page Testimony. . -.
Mr. Dodd quoted from the testimony
of Howard Page, freight agent Of the
Standard Oil company. Mr.. Page de-
MED that over lines Of railroad where
the Standard Oil has very large ship
ments, the rates on oil are frequently
made, relatively, speaking, lower than
rivals of the Standard Oil company
have large shipments and where the
Standard Oil company's interests are
relatively small, and that this differ
ence in rates to the advantage Of the
Standard Oil is brought about by the
influence of the Standard Oil company
officials. Mr.. Page also testified:
Since have had any knowledge of rail-
road rates on the Standard OH company
business no official of the Standard Oil
company, who is connected with railroads,
has ever made a rate or arrangement for
the Standard Oil company, nor have any
Of those gentlemen who are connected
and have interests with railroads ever
asked me to give any undue or unreason-
able. or, in fact, any share Of the Stand
ard OH companys business over such a
Oil company's business stands on Its own
merits; and as before said, none Of these
gentlemen who may or may not have in
terests in these various railroads have
ever made a. rate or made an arrange
ment for Standard Oil company business.
That business is done by me, or by the
proper party in whose territory or dis
trict the question may arise.
If any Of the gentlemen who have large
do tor
| if or arrangement with railroad for our
business certainly should know Of it. I
should be advised of it, as I am the proper
| department that has record of those
| rates, and should have to know, neces-
| sarily.
Shipments Of the Standard Oil company
have not been Influenced toward certain
| lines by the fact that the officers of the
| Standard OIL were reputed to be large
| owners Of the stock of those lines.
Should Satisfy Candid Mind.
Mr.. Dodd's statement closes as fol
lows:
| Such evidence should satisfy any can
did mind Of the incorrectness Of DR.
| Gladden's assertion. It will probably no,
| satisfy a mind like DR.. Gladden's, who
subsequently made the statement thai
"the denial that rebates have been ex-
! tOTteO SlI1CS IIl0 1NLeTSLdLe commerce law
was passed Is not credible. I know from
statements made to myself by parties i'm
plicated that such rebates have been ex-
| torted by other corporations. I doubt I,
| the Standard is more virtuous than the
lrest." ~
| On a mind so prejudioed, evidence Is
I lost. DR.. GLADDEN. seems to know some.
thing of cases In the courts on the sub.
| ject of rebates. and should know Of sew.
eral important cases tried in the courts
| Of Pennsylvania against prominent
railroad to recover penalties for granting
rebates, in which every effort was made
to prove rebates paid to the STANDARD
Oil company. No such proof could b.
produced; but 1t was proved that rebates
were allowed and paid to two Of thu
Standards principal competitors. This
may suffice to remove DR.. Gladden.:
doubt whether the Standard is more vir
tuous than the rest.
Those who contend that the STANDARD
has been built up by means of railroad
discrimination wilfully shut their eyes tt
the real causes Of the Standards success
and are poor students Of the problem O.
modern industrial combinations.
If this, the only specific allegation
made against John D. Rockefeller, il
| proven to be false, it should make TIL,
public, and particularly the religious pub
lie more careful and charitable In its allie