Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-17
Result of Commissioner Gar
fields Long Investigation.
INQUIRY IN EUROPE
AGENTS IN THIS COUNTRY RE
CALLED TO WASHINGTON.
Alleged Relations Between the Stand
ard Company and the Railways
Beyond the Bureaus Probe.

Consideration is being given to the advis-
ability of Commissioner Garfield preparing
a partial report for the forthcoming session
of Congress of the results of the investiga
ton of the petroleum industry made by the
bureau of corporations under his direction.
The investigation was instituted by Com
missioner Garfield last acknowledgements
weeks before Representative Campbell of
Kansas introduced a resolution in the
House calling for an inquiry by the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor into the op-
erations of the Standard Oil Company in
the Kansas field. When that resolution
was adopted Commissioner Garfields bu-
reau already had collected a vast amount
of information on the subject of the petro-
leum industry in the United States and the
relations thereto of the Standard Oh Com
pany.
Of what use Mr.. Garfield had intended to
make this information was not stated at
the time, but as soon as Congress gave i'm
petus to the public interest in the subject
the commissioner of corpora tions took hold
of the matter with renewed enrgy and put
into the field half dozen special agents.
While before that time the work had been
lntrusted to only one of the bureau of cor
poration's employees Close friends of Mr.
Garfield say 1t is his earnest desire to make
the oil report more thorough and compre-
hensive than was the first piece of work
turned out by him-the half-baked report
on the beef trust
1t is said by persons in a position to know
that Mr.. Garfield is very confident of re-
gaining through his forthcoming report on
the Standard oil monopoly whatever popu-
larity or prestige he may have lost by his
disappointing beef trust report.
Mr.. Garfield Handicapped.
1t is known also. however, that in his
Standard Oil investigation Mr.. Garfield has
been handicapped in a personal way about
as he was in his beef trust Investigate
That is to say, he has not had the oppor-
tunity to devote great deal of personal
attention to the work of his sIlbalterns in
the Standard Oh investigation. just as was
the case in the beef trust matter When
the most important work of the beef trust
investigation was going Mr. Garfield
was buslly engaged with other work as
signed him by the President and of neces-
slty had to leave the details CT that great
undertaking to trusted subalterns a SINH
lar situation has confronted him In the
Standard Oil investigation. Just when
that work had reached its most interesting
stage Mr. Garfield withdra wn from it
by the President and made member of
the Keep commission. which has been busy
ever since with the task of inquiring into
departmental methods with the view of
undermining and improving them. This has
left the chief burden of responsibility in the
Standard Oil investigation upon the shoul-
ders or the bureau of corporations chief
economist, Prof E. Dana Durand who like
wise did the great bulk of colIating the
statistics, conclusions etc. of the unpopu-
lar beef trust report
1t Is by the way, generally understood
that If Mr.. Garfield, in the prospective
shifts of cabinet portfolios succeeds Mr..
Metcalf as secretary of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor, Professor Durand
Will be promoted to the place made vacant
lrp1iC
Prior to entering the government service
Prof. Durand was an instructor in econom-
les in California college. He came to
Washington several years ago as a statis-
tician for the now defunct Industrial com
mission, and while he is not known to have
any great political influence. 1t is known
that he has very powerful friends among
some OF the biggest industrial institutions
IN the country, who could be counted on tn
push his claims in the right quarter
A General Investigation.
The investigation of the Standard Oil
monopoly In accordance with the direc-
tons of the House resolution has not been
confined to any one field in the United
States, but has been spread over them all
Indeed the investigation has not been lin
tied to the United States but has been ex-
tended to the uttermost parts of the earth
wherever petroleum has been found and Is
being utilized. Two months ago one of
Prof. Durands assistant economists .r
francis Walker of Massachusetts, was sent
to Europe to make a thorough inquiry into
the conduct of the petroleum business there
and to study closely the operation of the
Dig companies that control the industry in
that part of the world. Mr. Walker was in
structed to devote his attention first to the
situation in England. where the great con-
Germ of Shell & Co. the principal opera
tors. from England he will proceed to
Germany, where the Deutsche Bank crowd
seem to dominate the petroleum industry.
drawing their chief supplies from the Rou-
manan oil fields. Mr.. Walker also will
10 iooh INTO the condition of the oil business
In France where the Standard Oil Com
pany is known to be particularly strong
From France he will go to Russia which
next to the United States. is the greatest
producer of petroleum In the world these
two countries producing about 80 per cent
OF the petroleum and It's by-products used
by the human race. The oil region of Rus
sia is confined to a narrow area on the
caspian sea, but its productveness is enor-
nous. The business there is In MANY
hands, though the two principal concerns
are the Rothschids and the Noble Brothers
The bureau of corporations is proceedinr
upon the theory or belief that there Is
strong working arrangement between the
Standard Oil and the Rothschilds aud
Mobiles for division of territory in Europe.
In Germany the Deutsche Bank crowd has
refused so 1t Is believed, to co-operate in
any way with the Standard and for several
years has been making a big fight on this
&
England also have thus far refused to enter
INTO any sort of agreement with the Stand
ard. according to the undertaking in this
country.
Ito Learn Cost and Profit.
The chief object of extending the investi-
CATION to Europe is to learn If possible
upon what margin of profit the oil business
IS conducted over there, and also to de-
termine, If practicable, the relations that
exist between the Standard Oil Company
and the big concerns in Europe that are
engaged in the same business But cost
and profit are the principal phases of the
subject of especial interest to Prof. Durand
and his assistants Their desire is to use
this information as basis OF comparison
When dealing with the cost of production,
distribution, handling, etc, by the Standard
Oil Company.
The work Of Prof Durand's assistants in
the various Oil fields of the United States
has been about closed, and the several spe-
cial agents of the bureau of corporations
assigned to the work have been recalled to
Washington to collaborate with him In pre-