New-York tribune., 1906-05-19
REPLIES TO GARFIELD.
Vice-Presidemt of Pennsylvania De-
nies Statements IN Letter.

Philadelphia May 1s-VIce-Presldent Thayer of
the Pennsylvania Railroad to-day issued a state
ment in reply to the letter Of Commissioner Gar
field made public yesterday. Mr.. Thayer denies
vigorously the statements Of fact made by Mr.
Garfield respecting the granting of rebates to the
Standard Oil Company, and reiterates his interview
Of May g. in which the Pennsylvania Railroads
relation with Standard OIL and other corporations
defended.
The statement follows:
Mr. Garfield questions fret the accuracy of my
statement 70 the relative volume Of refined oil
moving from Olean 10 Rochester at the rate of nine
cents barrel which rate has been in existence for
eighteen years and IN proof Of his contention SAYS
that in year. 1904 there were over one thousand
cars Of finished OIL products shipped from Olean to
That is another proposition. Our records DO not
show the different kinds Of oil but they do show
Rochester Of which &c ever 60 per cent stopped at
Ter1noSf noirfs mentioned The Question Of reIao
tive volume Of refined oil however, is unimportant
the traffic TO the railroad Had il not been made
al the products would have moved by pipe line, the
refneTles thus securing an the adyantages when
they were said TO possess. 10 the loss ony OF me
as 10 this there was pipe line constructed be-
tween two rehneries Of the Standard Oil Company
standing that the railroad offered an eight cents
The fact that some OIL. whether refined or un-
nnlsned products. was reshipped from RocnestleI al
sYTn Of the local rates does not affect in particle
me correctness or the value OF my statement
ne important question is whether the railroad
,aoe & secret rate. secretly unfairly discrn.
stASuS4 IN 1aVOF Of the Standard OH Company. IA
ny previous statement / said positively that the
sate was issued in precisely the same manner as
stery other rate is issued in the State OF New York
% any otner state in which lines run II is
lpossioIe 10 conceive that this rate in effect for
elsllteen years was unknown to independent snip
pefe, unIess II was because Il did not affect their
business ana they, therefore, never made inquiry
As 70 L.e words upon the tariff. not 70 pe
poSteo, Ee1eifeo To- they are the same precisely
as used upon every tariff snd every special or
commodity rate Issued IN every state IN which
our lines run and generally by all other lines in
this section OF the country and have been so used
since the Interstate Commerce law was
20 agents. the state laws not requiring posting IN
the stations whereas the interstate rates must be
posted. These interstate rates bear the words Ito
be posted This Is well known every one at all
familiar with railroad practice. and was fully
explained to Mr.. Garhelds representative that the
obvious nisconstruction placed upon Il cannot be
As 70 the matter Of blind billing" Mr. Gar
fields reference the statement Of the vice-presi-
dent Of the Vacuum Oh Company, apparently as
ccntradcting my statement, Is almost unnteliglbe
as that statement is IN way contradictory, un-
less il be that Mr. Garfield does not understand
the difference between a secret rate and a special
Or commodity rate. II IS safe 10 say that the
larger volume OF tonnage all the railroads OF
This country moves al special commodity rates,
but they arc not secret rates. II this IS the eX-
Ilanaton, II shows woful ignorance OF business
methods universally pTactised By railroads
An opportunity, ] hope, VIII DO ouere0 IN a
4eW Gays the hearing IN Cleveland 20 present
al the facts IN this and the Buffalo case
,taen, we believe. the action o. the old Western
..tE YORK & Pennsylvania Railway, In origl-
rsHia Railroad dts successOr) In continuing them'
s-- be sustained