Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-17
Issues Statement in Answer to
the Report Made by
Garfield
DENIES ANY WRONG PRACTICE.
Assertion That Trust Made s75o,ooo in
One Year From Secret Rebates De.
cIared to Be nUtrue-Vivorous De-
cIared to Be Untruc-visorous De-
Commissioner.
Commissioner

| New York, May 17.--That the oil re
port of Commissioner Garfield and the
accompanying message to congress b,
President Roosevelt are inaccurate ant
unfair is the burden of a statement is
sued to its shareholders yesterday by
the Standard Oil Company. The COM
rany denies that it profits by secret
rebate agreements with railroads and
Lays special stress on the competition
which ii declares 1t is forced to meet
In every section of the United States.
The statement singles out the asser-
ton made by Mr.. Garfield that the
company saves $750000 each year be-.
cause Of the operation of certain
an opinion could only have been ar
rived at by theorizing." In an inves-
tigation covering fifteen years of bus
mess it says the commissioner was not
able to find specific instance Of dis
elimination. The company it is al
legged, gave Mr.. Garfield explanations
which would have been satisfactory to
any man familiar with transportation
problems
The large sums of money which
Mr.. Garfield sets down as one years
savings to the Standard thru the OPP
GRAFTON OF certain freight rates-sums
which the president aggregates at
$3.50, 000--could only have been arrived
Mt by theorizing.'
If the claim of Commissioner Gar
field was true that the Standard is
favored by open rates it would involve
not only collision between the rail-
roads and the Standard Oil Company
but collision by the railroads with each
other. 1t would also involve the con-
sent of railroad not reaching Whiting,
Ind, for example. to the establishment
of rates out of that point, which would
ne injurious to business out of another
point at which the consenting railroad
was receiving traffic. To bring about
such an arrangement would be impos-
sible. 1t may be said generally that
there is a competing refinery in almost
every section of the United States
where the Standard has refinery ex-
cept at Whiting. Ind
No rates can be made applicable to
the Standard which will not be equally
tors
Not Familiar With Problems.
after an investigation of shipments
during a period of about fifteen years
over more than 100000 miles of rail-
way the commissioner is not able to
show that the Standard Oil Company
received n single rebate on it's inter-
state shipments. He has only been
able to call attention to a few instances
in which the rate situation in his opin-
ion required explanation. This eX-
PLANTATION was freely given and we be-
lieve would be satisfactory to any
man familiar with transportation
problems.
Elf the commissioner had any doubts
as to the regularity of these rates he
might have brought them to the atten-
zion of the interstate commerce COM
when the question at issue
could have been heard and determined.
In the absence of such determination
it is surely not within the limits of
fairness for the bureau of corporations
to cast aspersions upon a great cor
poration.
1.-THE company owns and controls
only a very moderate percentage of the
crude production of the United States
and with at least 1875 rival refineres
in existence it is palpable absurdity
to call it monopoly.
Reliable Methods Win.
"For the last quarter of a century
more than 60 per cent OF it's output has
been shipped to foreign countries. In
and sustaining this vast for
eign trade the company has encounter
ed innumerable obstacles and inces-
SAINT competition from other petroleum
possessing the advantage Of
location and cheaper la
Dor, and which are oftentimes devel-
oped under the fostering care of their
respective governm
elf the company maintains graft
tying percentage of the worlds COM
MERGE it is because it keeps its agree
ments and delivers products of relia
BILE quality al reasonable prices. What
,ver measure of prosperity it has en-
ioyed is not traceable TO Illegal or rep
rehensible methods. but to it's eco
lcmic and elaborate industrial organ
cation. covering as it does every detail
If transportation, manufacture and adj