The San Francisco call., 1906-08-30
HOSTILITY HURTS
OIL INDUSTRY.

NEW YORK, Aug. 29.-The Standard
Oil Company receives many complaints
from the foreign staff and correspond
entS in regard to the hostile attitude of
the American press toward that COM
pany and the depressing effects of the
same upon its foreign trade. The for
eign consumer prefers American oil,
but the agents of the rival companies
constantly exploit these home attacks
upon the Standard and the consumers
conception of the matter is that 1t is
the quality of the American oil that is
attacked. The press has received large
encouragement from the debates in
Congress on subjects of interest to
Americans only, and. regrettab1y, it has
not differentiated with sufficient clear
ness between the manufacturing and
marketing companies and the trans
portation companies.
+. d. Asche of the export department,
who possesses full and exact informa-
tion in regard to the foreign oil situa-
tion, 5ounds a warning note in report
to the board of directors to the effect
that wanton and unjustifiable attacks
produce effects that cannot be foreseen
and accomplish vast mischief before
they can be corrected. Mr.. Asche's re-
port follows:
Every producer of petroleum in the
United States and all individuals or
companies having direct or indirect in
terests in maintaining the supremacy
of American petroleum in the competi-
tive markets of the world cannot fail
to view with deep concern and alarm
the damage and menace to our foreign
commerce. traceable to the persistent
attacks upon the Standard Oil Com
pany by an influential sectio:i of the
American press.
We deem it our duty especially to
call your attention to the embarrass-
ment thus created for the managers,
agents and statesmen employed in the
marketing of American petroleum and
it's products in foreign countries
I'VE cannot believe 1t is the inten-
tion or the desire of the American press
to jeopardize the export commerce Of
all American petroleum or that it's at
tacks upon the Standard Oil Company
have any such motive, yet unfortu-
nately these attacks are rapidly lead
Ing up to this result
"Confirmative of this, we just have
word from one of our managers abroad
who has made application to foreign
government for permission to erect a
storage plant to receive bulk American
petroleum and was refused. At the
time when the question came up for
decision the Presidents message to
Congress regarding the standard Oil
Company had just reached them, and
this was given by the authorities as a
reason for their refusal of the appli
cation.
The foreign consumer knows little
and cares less about the transportation
raging on this side of the
Atlantic, but they have not been slow
to construe and distort these press at
tacks as discrediting the quality and
value OF the product, and also assailing
the distributors and our marketing
methods throughout the world.
"The formidable competitors Of
American petroleum-Russian.G German,
Galician and Oriental-are
very naturally utilizing these press at
lacks TO their own great advantage
and to our great detriment. And this
at a time when the petroleum of the
country needs an increased outlet on
account of the largely accommodating
stocks above ground, due to the I'M
nense oil fields of Kansas. Oklahoma
and Illinois.
Notwithstanding our ramifed and
channels Of distribution
n nearly every country of the world. |
which are the outcome of many years
IF hard work and of great expenditure,
we find the competitive obstacles |
greater from year to year because of
the rapidly developing petroleum in |
lustries of other countries, these hav-
ng the marked advantages of nearer |
to large consuming centers
If pauper labor employed in production
and the stimulation afforded by the
support of their respective govern |
nents and the active encouragement
by their local press.
lis there no way of preventing this
situation to the impartial elements of
he American press with the hope that. |
wen II their attacks upon the Standard |
Dill Company are to be continued, they
may be formulated on lines not calcu-
ated to give aid and comfort to every
foreign enemy and competitor of the |
American petroleum industry?
The largely increasing stocks of Pc
Lroleum in this country emphasize the
necessity of extending rather than cur
falling the output of American petro-
cum to foreign countries. This output
about 60 per cent of all the
refined oil manufactured in the United
States"