Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-05-18
TRUST RESENTS
THE ASPERSION
Absurd to can Us Monopoly. As
scrts the Standard Oil.

New York, May I1.-Tae directors
OF the Standard oil Opmpany is
sued a statement TO the stockholders
today in relation to the attack BY
President Roosevelt and Commission
er Garfield
After an investigation OF ship
ments during hfteen years over
more than 200. 90 miles of railway
IL says. the commissioner is not
able to show that the Standard oil
Company received single rebate
on its interstate shipments.
He has only been able to call at
tention to a few instances i'm which
the rate situation in his opinion re-
quired explanation. This explanation
was freely given aud we believe Il
would be satisfactory TO any man
familiar Nth transportation prob
lens
III the commissioner had any
doubts as TO the regularity OF these
rates. he might have brought them
To the attention Of the interstate
commerce commission. when the
questions at issue could have been
heard and determined In the alb
sence OF such determination Il Is
surely not within the limits OF fair
ness for the bureau OF corporations
to cast aspersions upon a great cor
poration.
The company owns and controls
only very moderate percentage of
the crude oil production OF the
United States. and with at least 1926
rival refineries in existence Il IS a
palpable absurdity TO call It n mo-
nopoly.
"Mr. Garfield charges that the
Standard oil Company has main
tanned aboslute control OF the sec
tion OF country south OF the Ohio
river and east OF the Mississippi
through secret rates and open dis
criminiation from Whiting, Ind.
For years the rate on refined oil
from Whiting. Ind. 10 Grand june
tion, Tenn, was 13 cents per 100
pounds and this rate was covered
by published tariffs. filed with the
interstate commerce commission. The
latter fact Mr.. Garfield has omitted
to state in his report"
The stockholders are assured that
the Standard never benefited by Sc.
cret rates for the transportation oi
it's products.
Whatever measure OF prosperity
it has enjoyed" says the statement
'is not traceable to Illegal or rep.
rehensible methods. but it's econo.
mic and elaborate industrial organi.
zatiOn, covering as IT does. every de.
tail OF transportation. manufacture
and administration"
The statement declares that the
$4,000 year through the operation
of certain freight rates, could onl,
have been arrived at by theorizing
IF the claim of Commissioner Gar
field was true" continues the report
that the Standard is favored b,
open rates, it would involved no
only collusion between the railroad,
and the Standard Oil Company. bu
collnsion by the railroads with each
other. 1t would also involve tn,
consent Of railroad not reachint
Whiting, Ind, for example, to tn,
establishment of rates out OF tha
point. which would be Injurious 4
business out of another point Al
which the consenting railroad wa
receiving traffic TO bring about
such an arrangement would he i'm
possible. II may be said generall
that there is competing refiner
in almost every section OF the United
States. where the Standard has
refinery. except at Whiting. Ind.
mo rates can be made appIicabl
TO the Standard which will not b.
equally applicable 10 the Standard
competitors"