The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-05-12
STANDARD OIL CRIMINALS.

STANDARD OIL CRIMINALS.
Somebody down in Washington is
doing something for their country.
1t does not matter much whether or
not the investigation of the Standard
Oil company was complete. Neither
does it matter whether the inquiry
was prompted by a sincere motive or
not. It is the result of the investi-
cation that is going to do the real
good to the nation.
What did Commissioner Garfield
ascertain? He furnished complete
and conclusive proof that the "fath-
err of trusts is operating illegally.
This is not a new discovery to the
American people. They new it for
many years, but no one has been
able to get the proof so we'll before,
and our people are stickers for the
proof.
Once upon time when one would
assail the Standard Oil company as
an illegal monopoly he would be re-
garded as a dangerous man-an agi-
tator and demagogue. The press
would soon map out his finish, and
the people, parrott-like-would say,
"Amen!' 1t was just like the &C.
currence in Jerusalem, almost two
thousand years ago, when the high
priests at the trial of Christ con-
demned him to death, and the peo-
pie on the streets who got their opin-
ions from the priests, just as we be-
lieved in the newspapers, echoed
back: "Crucify him! Cruelty Him."
We think we are more civilized
now than then. But after all there
are some things in which we have
not progressed. One of them is, we
permit others to do our thinking.
Commissioner Garfield has not
said it, but he has shown that the
Standard Oil company is the most
Ubiquitous ararchistic institution in
the world. This is saying a good
deal, but where is there another law
breaker to compare with it?
1t does not hurt very much to call
the big monopoly an anarchistic or
ganization. 1t has no heart, neither
has 1t soul that can be moved to
pity or remorse. 1t could not exist
one day If the human beings who
hide behind it's charter should put
themselves adrift from it. The
Standard Oil corporation can do no
harm. But the men who manage It
can do much, and they have done
much to place this country at the
mercy of avarice, greed or corrup-
| ton. 1t is they who are the anar-
chlsts. 1t is Anarchist Rockefeller
and Anarchist Rogers, and their an.
archist associates who are respon-
s1ble for the illegal practices of the
Standard Oil Company.
| President Roosevelt reported r.
congress that these great anarchists
have habitually received from rail.
roads, and are now receiving. secret
rates as we'll as other unjust and H.
legal determinations in open rates
In violation of the Interstate Chm.
merce law.
| He further states that these anar.
ch1sts make a profit Of $750.O00 9
year in rebates, at the expense Of thu
railroads. and a MUCH larger pro
nj at the expense of the people.
These are facts. These men arr
convicted law breakers. What Is
going to be done about it? So Ions
as there are exposures of crime with
out any prosecution of the criminals
there can be no respect for the law
Simple fines will not. teach respec
for the law. When poor devil vio
lates the law he is usually sent +,
Jail, and not SO much for the Dur
pose Of Furnishing him as it is for tn,
influence his incarceration may hav
on other law breakers.
Not long ago man was. lange,
Tor murder in this neighborhood
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