The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-05-10
ARE DEEPLY OFFENDED.
standard Oil maanatss Rogers ant
Arehhoid Say President u I'm.
truthful and Unfair.

New York. May Sin reply to- frcsi
Gent Iloos.YcltS message and the re-
port of Commissioner Garfield. Mcssrs.
u. II. Rogers and John II. Archbold. OF
the STANDARD OH company. said that
the examination OF the message and re-
port had necessarily been "A hurried one.
and that they should at a later date
make full answer to their sharehold-
crs
Meanwhile they made an extended
statement To the Associated Press.
I'm the presidents effort To secure
the passage OF the bill enlarging the
powers ~ the Interstate commerce COM
mission and just and equitable rail-
way rates" they declare. I'VE have pref
cis.ly the same interest that any good
citizen has. No more and no less. Re-
garding his criticisms upon the man
ngcment OF the railways or his stric-
lures upon any acts Of the Interstate
commerce commission. We have neither
responsibility nor concern. When. how
ever. he or Commissioner Garfield at
ta"ks the standard OIL company and
uses Its methods OF doing business as
mn object lesson for the purpose or
promoting his Views. We protest.
Always Observed the Law.
u may ~ ohA'
set that the Standard oil company has
ut all times. within the limits OF fair
ness and with due regard for the law.
sought To secure the most advanta-
gcous freight rates and routes possi-
BILE. There will be no denial OF this
fact on our part. The question II
whether We have ut any point violated
the law or the proprieties.
The present inquiry grew out OF n
Fganttft Inn adnnteA nv war
ago on motion OF Mr.. Campbell. of
Kansas. instructing the secretary OF
commerce and labor TO investigate the
oil business as carried on In this coun-
try. We welcomed the investigation.
When Commissioner Garfield, In the
discharge OF his duty. visited our Of
flee he and his experts were given free
access To our books and the fullest op-
portunity TO ascertain the manner II.
which our business was conducted
Frank disclosures OF all our methods
were made and every criticism Of
fered by him was met with candid
and painstaking answer.
Call President untruthfui.
SO conscious were We OF our recti.
tude that we repeatedly importuned
Mr.. Garfield TO make public the con-
ditions existing In Kansas. but h.,
refused. We proposed ourselves "a
answer some OF the criticisms. but re.
Trained on Mr.. Garfield's advice. and
upon his assurance that his report
would present the case fairly. IL turned
out that So far as Kansas was con-
ccrned the state authorities aban'
doncd their attnck.
One does not care TO handy words
with the president OF the United States
IL ~ not easy to differentinte between
Mr. Roosevelt. the president. and Mr.,
Roosevelt the individual. He has giver
Of his advice most generously on every
subject. from the size Of our families
to the mistakes OF federal judges. and
sore error IL inevitable to the conser.
Nntiye man under such circumstances
We say natly that any such assertion
that the Standard OH company haA
been or H. now knowingly engaged IN
practices which are unlawful Is alike
untruthful and unjust.
Half Of u Exported.
"Th. commissioners report. upon
which the presidents message is based.
opens with the statement that the man
nfuCturr Of refined oil In this country
~ about s6. 600 900 barrels annually. IL
~ uuinpOrtant, but IL would nevcrthe-
l-ss hav" been fair for him Ten have
stated that over 100000 barrels OF
this annual manufacture IL exported.
and with it's manufacture or the price
the American public IL not concerned,
"lIc next calls attention To the fact
that the Standard oil refinerics are lo-
Gated NJ centcrs of distribution. while
the independent renncries are usually
Ia the crude oil fields. This fact. II
borne rtcadily In mind. will answer
very many OF the criticisms which he
later INDUCES In. lie charges that
this location Of rcnncrieS and the nat
ural advantages following II We're oh
tuiusd by means ~ unfair competitive
methods. but beyond this mere asser-
ton does not go into a history ar cN-
plunation OF these alleged methods at
all lie says the development OF the
pipe system by the Standard OH COM
pany was the result Of special agree
meut with the railroad companies.
What he can mean II past our compre-
tension"