Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-05-11
The President and the Oil Trust.

President Roosevelt on Friday trans
mitted the report of James Gar
field, Commissioner of the Bureau of
Corporations in the Department of
Commerce and Labor, on the subject
of transportation and freight rates in
connection with the oil industry
to Congress. Among other things the
President says:
1.-The report shows that the STANDARD
Oil Company has benefited enormously
up almost to the present moment by
rates being clearly unla wfuI. This
benefit amounts to at least three.
quarters of million a year This
three quarters of million repre- SCENTS
the profit that the standard Oil Com.
pany obtains at the expense of the
railroads: but of course the ultimate
profit at the expense of the public A
very striking result of the investig-
alton has been that shortly after the
discovery of these secret rates by the
Commissioner OF Corporations. the
major portion of them were promptly
corrected by the railroads, so that most
of them have now been done away
with. This immediate correction,
partial or complete, of the evil OF the
CO. q Nf tho
hand an wledgment that they
were wrong, and yet were persevered
in until exposed; and on the other
hand q proof of the efficiency of the
work that has been doue by the Bureau
of Corporations. Tue Department of
Justice will take up the question of
instituting prosecutions in at least GER
tain of the sses. But it is most de-
sirable to enact into law the bill INTRO
duced by Senator Knox to correct the
Interpretation of the immunity provl.
sion rendered in Judge Humphrey
decision. r But in addition to
these secret rates the Standard Oil
profits Immensely by open rates. which
are go arranged as to give it an over
whelming advantage over its indie.
pendent competitors. 1t is
unfortunately not true that the Stand
ard Oil Company is the only great cor
poration which in the immediate past
has benefited. and is at this moment
benetitiDg, in wholly improper fashit 4
| by an elaborate series of rate discrlmi.
nations. which permit it to profit both
at the expense of its rivals and of thu
general public. 4 The govern
ment must interfere through it's agents
to deprive the railroad of the ability tt
make to the big corporations the con
cesslOns which otherwise it is poWerlesf
to refuse. The government
should have power by its agents to ex
anime into the conduct of the railways
that is. the examiners under the dl
rectiOn of the Interstate Commerce
Commission should be able to examine
as thoroughly into the affairs of tn,
railroad as bank examiners now ex
mine into the affairs of banks
In conclusion the President says
Though not bearing upon the ques
ton of railroad rates, there are Two
measures, consideration of which is
imperatively suggested by the submis
sion OF this report. The Standard Oh
has, largely by unfair or unlawful
methods, crushed out home competi
ton. 1t Is highly desirable that an ele
ment of competition should be intro
duced by the passage of some such Law
as that which has already passed thu
House, putting alcohol nsed III the art
and manufactures upon the free list
Furthermore, the time has come wheI
no oil or coal lands held by the govern
ment, either upon the public domain
proper or in territory owned by the In
dian tribes. should be alienated. Th
fee to such lands should be kept in tn
United States government whether OF
given to any Indian tribe, and tn
lands should be leased only on sucl
terms and for such periods as will en-
able the government to keep entir,
control thereof
New York May 4.-Wh ell the Presi
dents message on the oil Industry will
the accompanying report of Mr.. Gar
field WAS received at the office of tn
Standard Oil Company, in New ork
M. f. Elliott, general counsel of tn,
company, was asked what reply h,
cared to make. He gave an unqua Iifiet