Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-05-05
STANDARD OIL TRUST
ENRICHED BY REBATES

Continued from Page One.)
rate is in very many instances the
only effective way in which To pre-
vent improper determinations in
rates
Profits are Kept Secret.
II is not possible Ia put into
figures the exact amount by which
the Standard profits through the
gross favortsm shown II by the rail
roads In connection with the open
rates The profits, OF course, comes
mol merely by the saving in the rate
Itself as compared with its COM
i9eiiiors. but by the higher prices
II Is able to charge. and (even with.
out reference 10 these higher
nrices) by the complete sontrol OF
the market which 1t secures, there
by getting the profit on the whole
consumption. Here again the only
way by which the discriminaiI ons
can be cured is by comforting upon
the Interstate commerce commits.
sion The power to take quick and ef.
tective action In regulating the rates.
One feature OF the report which
is especially worthy OF attention is
the showing made as to the way in
which the law is evnded by treat
ing as State commerce what is in
reality merely part of interstate
commerce. 1t is clearly shown, for
inatlnce. that this device is en-
ployed on the New York Central
railroad. as we'll as on MANY other
railroads. in such fashion as to
amount to thwarting the purpose of
the law, although the forms of the
law may be complied with.
Other Companies Guilty.
II il unfortunately not trne that
the Standard Oil company Is the
only great corporation which in the
immediate past has benefited, and
is al this moment benetiting.. in
wholly improper fashion by an elabo
fate series Of rate determinations,
which perlniti il to profit both at the
expense Of its rivals and OF The gen
eral public. The attorney general
reports Ia me that the investigation
now going on as to the shipments
by the sugar trust over the trunk
lines running out OF New York city
tends to show that the sugar trust
rarely II ever pays the lawful rate
for transportation. and IL thus i'm
properly, and probably unlawfully,
favored at the expense of its com.
oelitors and OF the general public
The argument Is sometimes adj
vanced against conferring upon
some governmental body the power
OF supervision and control over in.
ter-State commerce, that to do so
tends TO weaken individual initia-
tive. Investigations such as this
consluslvely disprove any such al.
legation. On the contrary, the prop
er play for individual iniative can
only be secured by such govern.
mental supervision ,aS will curb those
monopolies. which crush out all in
diyidual initiative. The railrond IT.
self can not without such govern
mrnt aid protect the interests of its
own stockholders as against one of
these great corporations loosely
known as trusts.
Elastic Law Needed.
In the effort 10 prevent the rail-
roads from uniting for improper pur-
poses We have very unwisely prohib
tied them from uniting for proper
purposes; that II, for purposes of
protection to themselves and to the
general public AS against the power
OF the great corporations. They
should certainly be given power
thus to unite on cinditions laid down
by Congress. such conditions to in
clude the specific approval OF the