The Washington times., 1905-12-22
FEDERAL PROBE
MAY Be APPLIED
TO STANDARD OIL
Next in Line for Anti
Trust Investi-
cation.
AFTER GARFIELD FACTS
Commissioners Efforts in
Middle West Will PLAY
Important Part.
AFTER GARFIELD FACTS

The recent mysterious visit 10 Wash
iagton OF Joseph d. Healing, United
States district attorney for Indiana. and
his long conferences with the Depart
ment OF Justice. have given rise. in con-
nection with reports and Developments
lately, to the strong belief that the Ad-
ministration is getting ready for the
greatest ANTITRUST campaign il has yet
undertaken, and that no less redoubtable
an antagonist than the Standard Oil
Company is to be the object OF attack.
Mr. Healing spent most of two DAYS
In conference with the department. con-
cerning the purpose of which both he
and the department have been absolute
~ uncommunicative. 1t is known that
the business concerned some matter of
the first Importance. and that nothing
VIII be officially known about il until a
formal statement is made on the sub
Ject. which is expected before long.
Other Mysterious Missions.
Several other district attorneys from
Middle Western districts have lately
visited Washington. on missions of like
mystery and Importance II is known
that Commissioner Of Corporations Gar
field has been in some OF these confer
ences, and this fact is pointed to as
one OF the substantial reasons for the
belief that the business in hand relates
TO the Standard oil Mr.. Garfield had
been for many months engaged in an in
vestigation of the Standard OIL Com
pany, its operations and methods
Concerning the results OF this inves-
tigation- there has been much inquiry
and little satisfaction There has even
been strong suggestion, since Congress
opened its session, OF calling, by resolu-
tiop, Tor. the Commissioners report on
what he has been doing
But the evidence now at hand indi-
Gates that the Department OF Justice is
getting ready 10 make use OF the facts
which the Garfield investigation has
placed in its possession. In that event
there will doubtless be no publication
of these facts until after their useful
ness for purposes of legal PROCEEDINGS
has been exhausted.
Payment of Rebates.
Not only is thsre strong impression
that the Garfield inquiry developed
some important facts concerning the
payment of rebates to the Standard oil
Company or its subsidiary companies.
even since the EIkins act has been In
effect. but other lines of investigation
have made certain that the great Rock
efeller concern has been enjoying re-
marka BILE favor in the matter Of rail
road discrimination. Thus. the Inter
state Commerce Commission few
weeks ago decided a case. following an
OF rates on OIL from the
South to the North. and from the North
to the South
Northern oil is chiefly Standard prod
uct; Southern oil is in the main not
Standard. II was brought out that the
rate or Northern oil going South. was
Just about half the rate on Southern
oil going North. The same railroads
between the same destinations were
shown to be charging almost twice as
much for hauling non-Standard oil from
the Southern fields 10 Northern mar
kets. that they were charging for carry
Ing the Standards goods from North |
ern points to Southern markets.
Other Favoritisms Charged.
The interstate commission promptly
ordered that this discrimination must
cease. But there are many other related |
Instances OF similar favoritism even I'm !
the published tariffs. while The posi- |