Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-05-05
X a
The Presidents Message.

LHc IfeSluenJS Message.
WASHINGTON, May BIN a mes
sage to congress transmitting the re-
port or the department of commerce
and labor on the investigation Of the
Standard Oil trust President Roose-
welt scores the great monopoly and re-
news his suggestion for government
supervision and control of railroads.
He declares it necessary not only for
the protection of the public, but for the
protection of the railroads themselves.
The investigation disclosed, as the
president points out, that up to the
time when it was begun the Standard
Oil trust profited to the extent of at
least $4,000 a year from secret re-
bates from railroads. In addition it
was favored by open rates In all com
petitive fields. While the secret re-
bates have been largely done away
with. the president promises that the
department of justice will institute
prosecutions in certain cases.
President Roosevelt declares in effect
that the great corporations known as
trusts have the railroads at their mer-
cy and that the time has come for the
government to protect the interests of
the stockholders of the transportation
lines. He suggests that expert exam
liners employed by the interstate com
merce commission be given the power
to examine as thoroughly into the af-
ralrs OF railroads al bank examiners
probe into the affairs of banks.
1.-The report shows the president de-
%clares, that the Standard Oil
has benefited enormously up almost to
the present moment by secret rates,
many of these secret rates being clear
ly unlawful. This benefit amount to
at least $750,OO0 a year.
The hands of the government have
been greatly strengthened in securing
an effective remedy by the recent de-
cision of the supreme court in the case
instituted by the government against
the tobacco trust, which decision per-
mits the government to examine the
books and records of any corporation
engaged in interstate commerce and
by the recent conviction and punish
ment OF the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy railroad and certain of its Off
GERS.
but in addition to these secret rates
the Standard Oil profits immensely by
open rates, which are so arranged as
to give it an overwhelming advantage
over its Independent competitors.
1T is unfortunately not true that the
Standard Oil company is the only
great corporation which in the imme-
date past has benefited and is at this
moment benefting in wholly improper
fashion by IN elaborate series of rate
determinations, which permit it to
profit both at the expense of it's rivals
and of the general public. The attor-
ney general reports to me that the in
yestigation now going on as to the
shipments by the sugar trust over the
trunk lines running out of New York
city tend to show that the sugar trust
rarely if ever pays the lawful rate for !
transportation and is thus improperly
and probably %unlawfully favored at the
expense of its competitors and of the
general public" 7
Commissioner Garfield's investiga-
ton shows that of the 20, 900, 600 !,
of oil annually refined in the :
States the Standard Oil COM =
pany directly and indirectly controls y
about 100000 900 and approximately :.
the same proportion of the other I'm =,
ished products of petroleum. :