Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-05-10
STANDARD OIL OFFICIALS EMIT
MUCH TALK.
DECLARE CHARGES FALSE
Intimate That President and Garfield
are Muck Rake Men-H. II. Rogers,
Who Was So Tonsue-Tied When
Under Oath. Talks Eagerly to the
Press.

New YORK, May S.-ln reply to the
presidents message and the Garfield
report, H. HI. Rogers and John d
Archbold of the Standard Oil com
pany last night made a statement to
the Associated Press in which the,
say in part:
IN the presidents effort to secure
passage OF the bill enlarging the pow
ers of the interstate commerce com
mission and just and equitable rail
way rates. we have precisely the same
interest any good citizen has, no more
and no less Regarding his criticism.
upon the management of railways, Of
his structures upon any acts of the in
terstate commerce commission, VIZ
have neither responsibility nor con
Germ. When, however, he or Com
missioner Garfield attacks the Stand
ard Oil company and uses it's meth
DDS OF doing business as an objec
lesson for the purpose of promoting
his views, We protest. It may b.
frankly stated at the outset that the
Standard Oil company has at al
times, within the limits of fairness
and with due regard for law, sough
to secure the most advantageou:
freight rates and routes possible
There will be no denial OF this fac
on our part. The question is whethe,
we have at any point violated the law
or the proprieties."
They then tell of the origin of the
present inquiry and declare that they
welcomed the investigation and offered
Mr.. Garfield free access to the book,
and full opportunity to ascertain theil
business methods. They also sa,
they repeatedly urged Garfield t,
make public conditions in Kansa.
but he refused, assuring them tina
his report would present the case
fairly.
One does not care to handy word.
with the president of the United
States, they say, sit is not easy t.
differentiate between Roosevelt, tn,
president, and Roosevelt, the individ
ual. He has given of his advice mos
generously, on every subject, from tn,
size of our families to the mistake,
of federal judges, and some error Il
inevitable now and then to the mos
conservative man under such circum
stances.
I'VE Are Always Good"
I'VE say fatty that any assertion
that the Standard Oil company has
been or is now knowingly engaged in
practices which are unlawful is alike
untruthful and unjust
Statement then discussed Garfield's
report. AS to his statement that the
development of pipelines was the re-
suit OF agreement with railroads,
they declare that the development of
pipelines was in the face of violent
hostility on the part of the railroads,
which naturally were opposed to the
introduction of such means of trans
pprtation."
AS to the favoritism alleged to have
been shown the Standard oil by the
railroads, the statement considers the
situation in New England. 1t says
the company uses it's own pipelines to
the coast and water Transportation
to New England. Competitors use
the same water transportation, the
Standard oils advantage being in its
pipeline.
Commissioner Garfield says the
Standard Oil company has habitually
received from the railroads and is
now receiving secret rates and other
unjust and illegal determinations. ;
the company's statement goes on. AMI
then criticises the interstate COM
merce commission for not proceeding
against these roads If the Garfield
statement Is correct.
Deny Unfair ADVANTAGE.
The statement considers at length
the rebate matter denying the allega-
tons OF unfair advantage. Continu-
ing the statement says:
"The presidents message complains
OF the way in which the law is eyad-
ed by treating as state commerce
what is in reality merely a part of
international commerce, although the
forms of law may be complied with
Yet this very method of making r
thorough rate by the combination or
two separate state rates has been held
TO be, by the interstate commerce
commission, lawful and proper"
The company denies that It has
crushed competition by unlawful or
unfair methods. and declares that com
petition has always existed and is
steadily growing.
Another Muck Rake.
The grief which the president ex-
presses in his message over the inabil-
IA 81 he H.