Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-05-05

leased only ON such terms and for
such periods as will enable the gov
ernment TO entirely control them.
I Washington, May Am summar.
izing his report, Commissioner Gar
field speaks OF his personal visit TO
oil fields and OF the great mass OF
data obtained by him either person
ally OF through agents OF the Bureau
OF Corporations. THE preliminary
study OF this material" he says.
showed that the most important
subject was transportation which en-
ters so largely into the cost OF the
finished production and hence a
most important factor In competi-
ton"
Taking up the subject OF the out
put OF refined oil, Mr.. Garfield finds
that II amounts To about 26. 900 900
barrels annually, OF which the Stan
dard Oil Company directly and indi-
rectly controls about $4,000, 900, and
approximately the same proportion
OF the other finished products OF pc
troleum. Continuing, the report
says:
I creased as Determinations In freight
location OF it's refiheries and tho use
Of the pipe lines are natural advan-
tages to which IL IL Justly entitled
by reason OF the energy and fore
sight OF it's managers While In n
measure that is true, Il Is not 10 be
forgotten that these advantages were
in part obtained by means OF unfair
competitive methods after years OF
fierce industrial strife.
The development of the pipe line
system by the Standard OIL Cnmna-
NY was the result OF special agree
ments with the railroad companies
Furthermore. those so-called advan-
tages have been and are greatly in
creased ns determinations In reight
rates. both published and secret, in
terstate and state. which give the
. Standard monopolies control in the
, greater portion OF the country and
which SO limit competition as to prac-
Ideally prevent the extension OF the
business OF any independent To a
, point which even remotely endan-
gers the supremacy OF the Standard.
IAN immediate result OF this de.
limitation OF the competitive area
is shown by the prices OF ordinary
Illuminating oil throughout the coun-
try. After deductlng the freight rate
the price OF such oil is usually from
two cents TO Ave cents a gallon high
er In the non-competitive than in
the competitive fields. a reasona-
, BILE profit upon refined oil Is about
one half cent per gallon II is
clear that the exorbitant profits are
, obtained In the pon-competitive
fields. This monopolistic control ex-
tends from the well OF the producer
TO the doorstep OF the consumer"
, Mr.. Garfield cites the fact that the
New York Central Railroad Compa-
, ny was the only one which refused
for Itself and affiliated lines 10 give
~ AZ the beginning OF the investi.
, cation. he says. the Standard oil
q Company denied that IL had obtained
n In recent years or was now obtain
ing any rebate or other transporta-
4, ton discrimination as against it's com
petitors. and yet he says that a most
careful review OF the facts and the
4, explanations leads 20 tho conclusion
q that the Standard oil Company ma,
/, habitually received from railroads
+, and is now receiving secret rates ant
other unjust and illegal dlscimlna
tlons.
. Ini0O4 these secret rates saved 3,
the Standard oil Company thre,
- quarters OF a million dollars. repre-
. senting the differences between tn,
+, open rates and the rates actuali,
+. paid
u These determinations" he says
r have been 50 long continued, so Sc
y cret. 50 ingeniously applied to nev
. conditions OF trade and so large II
they were due to concerted actor
o by the Standard and the railroads
!. He says further that the standar,
IS oil Company Is receiving unjust dis
J. examinations IN the matter OF opei
Q rates. the published rates from tn
e leading Standard shipping point
e being relatively much lower thai
rates from the shipping points OF ~
" competitors
p Mr.. Garfield then refers to seye
1t instances Of important discriminate
b. in favor Of the Standard OIL Compa
b. ny IN various parts OF the country
IL and says that most Of the secre
r. rates and some OF the discrimination
ID discovered by the Bureau we're abo
ie ished by the railroads shortly afte