The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-05-18
TRICKS THAT ARE VAIN
Resorted to By Gil Combine n Defeat
Its Competitors Preachers, Priests
and Emp.oYes brlbet.


! A Chicago disatch says: Despite
the objections of the counsel for the
Standard Oil company, F. S. Ezibbs o.
Peoria and for thirteen years an en-
ployee of the Standard Oil company,
was permitted Saturday by the inter-
state commerce commission to illus
-trate a number of tricks, which, the
witness says, were used by statesmen
and agents of the Standard Oil COM
pany.
I'm testing the oil Of rival COM
pany" said Mr.. Hibbs, 1--WE used a
new chimney and the magnesia in the
glass made the chimney look cloudy
For our own use we had an old Chin
ney, with the wick perfectly dried
and not too long, We used to rub a
moistened finger across the wick of
the competitor, and after it burned a
short time the damp spot would be
reached, the light would grow dim,
and there would be a suffering All
this time our light would be burning
brightly.
Our wicks were trimmed so as to
make a thin flame, and those of the
competitors we trimmed so as to make
a thick fame. The thinner the flame,
the winter the light. Then we would
often bend down the lower -lrt OF
the burner and let air in under the
chimney, which would cause the lamp
to smoke. Sometimes we would fill
up some of the ventilating holes
around the burner with chewing
gum.
Il only resorted to these trfcRs
when a competitor was selling oil in
a town and I wanted TO get rid Of
him"
''Do the agents of the Standard Oil
company still practice the tactics you
have mentioned in meeting competi-
tiOn?" asked Attorney Monet
eyes. They are doing it today" re-
piled the witness. "They pay rebates,
bride people, cut the price and sub.
stitute an inferior quality of oil and
in fact do anything necessary to get
the business and put the competitor
out Of the way"
The witness then told of a dinner
given in Peoria by c. r. Hand, man
ager of the Cincinnati Office of the
Standard Oil com-}ny, at which the
different methods of getting business,
were discussed.
The witness said that Manager
Hand related how Robert Carlyle,
salesman, had used $500 in getting a
certain cutomer and that it was a
good investment. The money was
used in bribing the employees of the
firm using the oil. Another instance
was cited where the engineer of a
large plant was bribed by agents, Of
the Standard Oil company to put grit
in the oil sold by a rival.
The witness gave specific instances
where he had bribed railroad en-
ployees while he was in the employ
of the Standard Oil company to get
information regarding shipments
made by the Royal Oil company. He
said the company always urged
agents never to remember names or
facts connected with the work of OBJ
tanning information about the bust
ness Of rivals.
Attorney Monnett then attempted to
show that the Standard OH company
=oid less than 10 per cent of the
taxes it should pay under the law,
but Commissioner Clements ruled the
commission could not properly go into
that matter in the present inquiry.
Wholesale bribery of ministers and
priests by agents Of the Standard Oil
company was another sensational rev.
elation made before the commission.
Letters and ether documentary evil
dence that showed how the Ohio min
istry had rot only accepted, but in
several instances had solicited inr =
nifcant brides, was brought out to the
amazement Of scores of auditors. The
ministerial agents were to give them
free oil for their churches and their
personal use. IN return she preachers
advocated among their parishioners
the use of only Standard Oil to the
exclusion of competitive oils. Also,
according to the letters shown, many
Of them gave testimonials" to sales
men of the Standard Oil trust.
PiTTSBURG BANK GOES TO WALL.