Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-02-23
Washington Notes.

On Thursday last freSldent IsooSescis
sent an order to James r. Garfield,
chief Of the bureau of corporations, to
make a thorough investigation OF the
Standard Oil Company's business and
ascertain il that corporation 10 violating
any Of the antitrust laws. The in
vestigation Is to be made at once.
This action is independent OF the res
olution adopted by the House OF Repre-
sentatives, providing for such an In
vestjQation. II had been contemplated
by the president for several days. Rep
resentative Campbell Of Kansas who Sc
cured the passage Of the resolution by
the House, in a conference with Presi-
dent Roosevelt outlined the crisis that
has come to the Kansas oil industry.
Agents Of the bureau Of corporations
are being hurried into the field to probe
everywhere for evidence that will show
violation of the Federal laws When
Commissioner Garfield called at the
White House later in the day to confer
with the President he was given specific
Instructions to begin with Kansas The
charges Of Representative Campbell in
volye the railroads of Kansas, which,
be says, acted in collusion with the
Standard Oil Company in driving out
Of business its competitors in Kansas.
the Humboldt Refinery and the Moran
Crude OH Company. The Humboldt
Refinery had market for fuel OIL at
Kanans CITY, No., when. as charged.
0E7c1661F 6f pressure from the Stand
ard OH TRUST, the railroad rate from
Humboldt to Kansas City was suddenly
raised seven cents per 100 pounds,
nhich drove the Humboldt Refinery to
tie wall.
Another specific instance Of this char
acter u related In the case of the Moran
Crude OIL Company. which was com
pelIsd by the railroads to pay an ad-
vance Of "a cents per barrel in freight
rates, and on this account was unable
70 continue business.
Mr.. Campbell prefented statement
signed by X. w. Rawling and William
y. C0nrAlly, members Of the advisory
committee Of the Kansas Oil Producers
association. and said that In substance
Il contained the information furnished
by him to the commissioner Of corpora
lions, as follows:
I'VE charge that the Standard Oil
Company has endeayored to secure
monopoly Of the oil business Of this
state from the beginning of It's develop
ment; that II has prevented other COM
ranies from entering the field to com
pete for the Kansas oil trade. Also
that there exists conspiracy between
the Standard Oil Company and the
Atchison, Topeka 81 Santa Fe railroad
70 prevent other parties from handling
oil or purchasing oil in Kansas. In
support Of these charges are submitted
facts and figures from the books Of /.
N. Knapp. in his Office at Chanute.
Kan, which show that as per car for
oil was charged from Chanute to
Kansas City, while the rate On car OF
stock, cattle or hogs was $3.50 and on
= car Of strawberries was but $40. In
June 1904, notice was given that on
August Is, 1904, the rate on crude oil
would be raised to II cents per 100
pounds In carload lots from Chanute to
Kansas City-an increase Of 10 per cent.
And the Standards pipe line to Kansas
Oity was completed about August Is,
1901"
Concluding the memoralists charge
that the Standard Oils "crimes" are
against Kansas and all the other states,
against individuals, commerce and trade
the government itself against hu-
manity, that the combination be dis
solved and Its officials punished as
enemies and malefactors.
Again the Senate has intruded into
the forum Of constitutional construc-
ton by trying to decide a drawback
point while considering an appropria-
tion bill. Here's where the house can
assert It's prerogativc and grand mix
mp be provided for the three branches
Of government.
President Roosevelts lengthy mes
sage to the Senate on the Santo Domin-
90 negotiations is likely to pull up that
censorious body as sharply as President
Polk did the senate Of his day, when he
asked advice on the Oregon boundary
question. Although it had been get
ting ready to condemn President Polk
for making the settlement he had In
mind yet when confronted by the issue
IL shrank from advising rejection Of the
plan and the policy Of the administra-
ton prevailed without further cavil.
President Roosevelt impressively ex-
hibits the dilemma in which our govern
ment finds itself. He shows that our
government has done all it can to avoid
ENHANCEMENT In Santo Domingo affairs
and has finally concluded to take action
only because 1t became evident that
failure to do no may result In situation
frsught with grave danger TO the cause
Of International peace.
THE present course OF land fraud In.
dictments IN Oregon resembles that Of
admitting slave and free State TO the
Union to preserve the balance OF the
Senate. One day Senator is indicted
tho next Representative. ."--Ex.