The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-21
OIL INQUIRY TO Be BROAD.
BOOSEVELT TO HUNT STANDARD
An OVER THE COUNT ny.
,,cnts OF the bureau of Corporations and
Department OF Justice 10 work To-
rcther-F1rst Move In kansas-The
santa Fc slated for Prosecution.

rcther-F1rst Move In hanSas-The
santa Fc slated for Prosecution.
v.surNoroY, Feb. 2O.-Action as drastic
&C ,os.ihle under the laws Of this country
4. n be taken against the Standard OIL
a.,,bination. not only in Kansas. but in
,rbs,evcr parts of the country President
uooseyelt believes that this great corpora
lion has so used It's powers as TO deny a
,,,ara deal TO it's comparatively weak
competitors.
what is regarded as n promise to that
eject voluntarily offered, Representative
campbell Of Kansas got from President
Roosevelt to-day. At the same time there
vaa n discussion ns TO the best methods to
chow the Standard that 1t cannot longer
continue in the course II is charged with
having recently pursued in Kansas.
One Of the methods to be used is the
prosecution Of the local agents or cor
rorations through which the Standard
onerates In order that actions may be
aken against them as speedily as possible
there is to be close cooperation between
me investigating agents Of the Bureau OF
Corporations and officers OF the Depart
mont OF Justice Heretofore in all in
oujries made by the Bureau of Corpora
lions the Department of Justice has not
been invited 10 consider any Of the facts
uncovered until after the bureau has fin
i-hed it. work
There was a long talk between President
Roosevelt and Representative Campbell
in the morning and later in the day the
President had a talk with Commissioner
OF Corporations Garfield, by whom the
investigation IL to be made. The determine
tion TO begin the work in Kansas was not
changed but TO that plan was added the
detail Of having the officers Of the Depart
ment of Justice kept fully advised Of every
discovery by the agents Of the bureau
Kansas however. will not be treated as
an entity in the conduct OF the inquiry.
Whenever clue leads out of Kansas it
will be followed regardless Of what State
lines may be crossed. In following tho
various leads il is expected that the whole
subject Of Standard activities will be brought
before the eyes of the agents for inquiry.
I believe | violate no confidence when
| say that President Roosevelt is deter
mined that the Standard Oil must be made
10 understand that the Administration
will insist that every little competitor must
have square deal said Representative
Campbell in discussing the subject The
President fully realizes that he has under
taken big task to inquire into the opera
tons of the Standard Oil and require that
combination to refrain from doing injustice
10 its competitors. l believe he will under
take 10 do something in this matter that
will cause people hereafter 20 say that
a 1. i 10 ri
man square deal.
L am not trust buster. ! would moi
deprive the Standard Oil OF the least Of
its rights; but IL seems to me that the Ameri
can people are of temper to require moi
only the Standard but every other giant
In the Industrial and financial world 10
cease the practices that afford such mar
as Lawson ground for making the charges
that have been put out.
A number of supplemental plans are
under consideration, both at the White
HOUSE and the Department Of Commeroe
and Labor, all having for their object the
accomplishment Of expeditions relief for
the oil producers of Kansas and other
parts OF the country where it Is claimed
the Standard OIL Is operating its scheme
for monopoly OF the oil business. One
Of those is to have the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe Railroad prosecuted for ar
alleged increase In rates on oil In such q
way as to make II impossible for the Kansas
producers 10 get their oil 10 any OF the
markets except at loss.
1t ia intended to have the company
brought before the Interstate Commerce
Commission on complaint Of the producers
~ ka ind fhal
the increase OF rates made by it recently
and which have had the effect OF shutting
them all out OF competition with the Stand
ard oil Company, are unreasonable fol
the service that would be performed under
them.
Representative Hearst Of New York
who several days ago introduced bill or
the subject Of monopoies, to-day intro
duced bill In the House directly bearing
on the subject. His bill makes all pipe
lines common carriers, and as such subject
10 the Interstate Commerce law.
Although the matter has not been given
much prominence there u a possibility
that another member of the Cabinet may
be placed In an awkward position as a result
Of the Administrations enthusiasm ir
trust busting The movers against the
Standard Oil Company are anxious to draC
Secretary Of the Interior Hitchcock into
the white light Of publicity. R. G. Raw
lings Of Chanute, Kan, president Of ar
Independent oil concern, who has furnished
10 Representative Campbell great dea
Of information. has attacked Secretary
Hitchcock in the following language:
We charge that the Standard Oh
Company uses undue influence with one
Hitchcock, Secretary of the Interior. Thi.
can be established by an examination Of
the orders and rulings of said Secretary
Of the Interior concerning leases in the
Indian Territory, which tend 10 exclude
independent operators through orders
requiring a deposit Of 5000 on every lease
without regard 10 acreage.
And the evidence that this charge IL
true can be furnished by !. n. Try Of Mus.
oogee and other residents Of Muscogee
Tulsa Bartlesville and other oil towns
In the territory
Il Is only fair 10 Mr. Hitchcock TO say that
practically no attention has been paid &c