The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-05-12
STANDARD OFFICIALS
MAKE A STATEMENT

VunEkA n Va II 4 Alvk Akv
New York, May 7.-Referring to
President Roosevelt's message and the
report of Commissioner Garfield on oil
freight rates, Messrs. 81. 81. Rogers
and John D. Archbold, of the Stand
ard Oil Company, said that their ex-
animation of the message and report
had necessarily been a hurried one,
and that they should at later date
make full answer to their sharehold-
ers. Meanwhile they made state
ment to the Associated Press, saying
in part:
''In the presidents efforts to secure
the passage Of a bill charging the
powers of the interstate commerce
commission and just and equitable
railroad rates we have precisely the
same interest that any good citizen
has. No more and no less. Regard
ing his criticisms upon the manage
ment Of railways, or his structures
upon the acts of the interstate COM
MERGE commission we have neither
responsibility nor concern. When,
however, he or Mr.. Garfield attacks
the StandardOil Company and uses it's
methods of doing business as an object
lesson for the purpose of promoting
his view, we protest.
''It may. be frankly stated at the
outset that the Standard Oil Company
has at all times within the limits of
fairness and with due regard to the
law sought to secure the most advan-
tageous freight rates and routes pos
sible. There will be no denial of this
fact on our part. The question is
whether we have at any point violated
the law or the proprieties.
Conscious Of Rectitude.
1.-THE present inquiry grew out of a
resolution adopted by congress
month ago on motion of Mr.. Camp
bell, of Kansas, instructing the secre-
tary of commerce and labor to investi-
gate the oil business as carried on in
this country. We welcomed the In
vestigation. When Commissioner Gar
field, in the discharge of his duties,
visited our offices he and his experts
were given free access to our books
and the fullest opportunity to ascer-
tain the manner in which our bust
ness was conducted. Frank disclos-
ures of all our methods were made
and every criticism offered bv him
was met with a candid and painstak-
ing answer.
Zone does not care to handy words
with the president Of the United
States. It is not easy to differentiate
between Mr.. Roosevelt, the president,
and Mr.. Roosevelt, the individual.
He has given his advice most gener.
ously on every subject, from the size
of our families to the mistakes Of fed
eral judges, and some error. is newt
able now and then to the most conser-
vative men under such circumstances.
Deny Unlawful Practices.
I'VE say fatty that any statement
that the Standard Oil has or is now
engaged in practices which
are unlawful is alike untruthful and
unjust"
The statement then takes up the al
legations in Mr.. Garfield's report and
explains or denies them. Continuing.
the statement says:
In dealing with the dicsrimina-
tions which are alleged to be viola
tions of the interstate commerce law
the plain answer is that If Mr.. Garfield
statement is correct it would be the
duty of the interstate commerce COM
mission to have taken action and
brought not alone the Standard Oil
Company but the railroad companies
involved to book, and this they have
never done.
violations Of the law in this res
poet do not fall within the iurisdic-
tion OF the bureau Of corporations, and
any statement on the part Of Mr.. Gar
field respecting this subject il gratu-
itous and valueless.
Says competition Still Exists.
''The statement that the Standard
Oil Company has largely by unfair
and unlawful methods crushed out
home competition is fully answered
by the fact that homo competition
has always existed, is steadily growing.
and that there are now at least lI6I
competitive refineries in the United
States.
Az to the claim that changes in
rates have been made since the COM
missioner's efficient work began, all