Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-05
vantages Of the independents have been
enormously increased"
sTANDARo oIL MAKEs REplY
Manager Rogers Comes Out with
Complete Denial
By Associa tea Press

Manager Rogers Comes Out With
Complete Denial
BY Associated Press.
NEW YORK, May AIN reply to
PRESIDENT Roosevelts message and the
report OF Commissioner Garfield.
Messrs. II. II. Rogers and John u.
Archbold of the Standard OIL company
said that their examination of the mes
sage and report had necessarily been
hurried one and that they should at
later date make full answer to their
Shareholders.
Meanwhile they made the following
statement TO the Associated Press:
In the presidents effort to secure
the passage OF an amendment enlarg-
ing the powers OF the Interstate COM
merce commission and an equitable
railway rate, we have precisely the
same interest that any good citizen
has. No more and no less.
Regarding his criticisms upon Che
management OF the railways or his
structures upon any acts OF the inter
state commerce commission, we have
neither responsibility or concern.
Stand I'd Makes Protest
When, however he or Commissioner
Garfield attacks the Standard Oil COM
pany and uses its methods of doing
business as an object lesson for the
purpose of promoting his views, we
protest.
1T may be frankly stated at the out
set that the Standard Oil company has
at all times within the limits of fairness
and with due regard to laws endeavored
to secure the most advantageous
freight rates and routes possible.
There will be no denial of this fact
on our part. The question is whether
we have at any point violated the laws
or the proprieties.
"The present inquiry grew out of a
resolution adopted by congress a year
ago on motion of Mr.. Campbell of Kan
merce and labor to investigate the oil
business as carried on in this country.
We welcomed the investigation.
when Commissioner Garfield. in the
discharge of his duty, visited our Of
fices, he and his experts were given
free access to our books and the fullest
opportunity to ascertain the manner in
which our business was conducted.
Frank disclosures of all our methods
were made and every criticism offered
by him was met with q candid and
painstaking answer.
Invited Publicity
$50 conscious were we of our recti-
tude that we repeatedly importuned Mr.
Garfield to make public the conditions
existing in Kansas, but he refused. We
proposed ourselves to answer some of
the unfair criticisms upon the subject
but refrained on Mr.. Garfield's advice,
and on his assurance that his report
would present the case fairly.
TT turned out that so far as Kansas
was concerned the state authorities
abandoned their attack.
"One does not care to handy words
with the president of the United States.
1t is not very easy to differentiate be-
tween Mr.. Roosevelt president, and
Mr. Roosevelt the Individual. He has
given of his advice most generously on
every subject from the size of our
families to the mistakes of federal
Judges, and some error is Inevitable now
and then to the most conservative man. |
Say Statements Are Not True
1--WE say flatly that any statement
that the Standard Oil has or is now
knowingly engaged in practices which
are unlawful, is untruthful and unjust. |
"The commissioners report, upon
which the presidents message is based, |
opens with the statement that the
of refined oil in this coun- |
try is about 26,000,000 barrels annually. |
1t is unimportant, but it would never |
theless have been fair for him to have
stated that over 100000 barrels of
this annual manufacture is exported, |
and with it's manufacture or the price
the American public is not concerned. |
"He next calls attention to the fact |
that the Standard Oil refineries are
located at centers of distribution, while |
the independent refinerieS are usually /
in the crude oil fields
"rhiS fact, if borne steadily in mind, |
will answer very many of the criticisms
which he later INDUCES in.
Methods Not Explained
HE charges that this location of |
the refineries and the natural advan-
tages following it were obtained by |
means of unfair competitive methods, |
but beyond this mere assertion does not |
go into a history or explanation of
these alleged unfair methods at all.
HE says the development of the pipe
line system by the Standard Oil COM
pany was the result of special agree
ment with the railroad companies
What he can mean is past our COM
AS a matter of fact the |
of the pipe line system by
the STANDARD Oil company was in the
face of violent hostility on the part of
the railroads, which naturally were op-
posed to the introduction of such means
of transportation.
"At enormous cost and in the face of
steadfast railway opposition, at an
early date the Standard Oil company
adopted the pipe line method for
crude petroleum.
AS to Favoritism
Passing from this point, Mr. Gar
field takes up the question of favor
itism, which he alleges has been shown
to various railway companies by the
Standard Oil company. The first spe-
cific case of alleged discrimination to |
which he directs attention is in the
New England territory.
"It is charged that we enjoy mo-
nopoly-in certain parts of that section
because some of the railroads refuse
to prorate. The man who could be de-
ceived by such statements must be
pretty dense.
''Mr. Garfield claims that the refusal
to prorate on the part of the New Eng |
land railroads has given the Standard
special favors in New England and en-
abled it TO maintain exorbitant prices
for kerosene.
''While it is admitted that the New