The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-17
Combines Correct Evils, Fright
ened by Bureau Of Cor
porations.
POWER OF OIL OCTOPUS
RENT IN NEW ENGLAND
Roads Give Oppressed Independ-
ents a Chance-Tobacco
Trust Yields. -, w. =
BY w. w. Jermane.

BY w. w. Jernane.
Washington, July 17.-one of the
definite results of the campaign Of the
bureau of corporations against the
Standard Oil company has been the
breaking of the oil trusts monopoly. OF
the New England field. For the first
time in twenty years independent re-
fners are now able to get their pro-
mont and other states of that section on
equal terms with the oil of the trust.
Officersiof the trusts threw up their
hands in every direction as soon as they
business in it's search for evidence to
begin prosecutions. The railroads
which have always been an essential
factor in maintaining the power OF un,
lawful combination also surrendered
like Davy Crockett s coon when Com,
them. Illegal determinations and re-
bates and arbitrary, rules drawn in the
interests of the oil trust for instance
have been abandoned in a great many
cases since the bureau of corporatlons
went on the warpath The result OF
these reforms has been to loosen the
grip of the trust on the market IN GER
tain territories and to open new fields
for the Independents. ..
Only Oil Barred.
The most striking instance Of this is
found in New England. Until the last
" few weeks the two railroads that con-
troll the traffic of that section, the New
b.. York, New Haven & Hartford and the
Boston . Maine, refused to make thru
rates from the west to their territory.
This refusal applied only to oil and in
some instances to one other co1mod1ty.
The independent refners of Pennsylva-
MIA, Ohio and other states desiring to
ship into New England had to pay one
T.. rate to the edge of that territory and
then a local and much higher charge to
Boston or other points of destination.
Cheap thru rates could be obtained over
these railroads from the west on coal
lumber and Fall other classes of freight
save oil and one other product.
This arbitrary policy on the part of
the railroads in question apparently
vas for The n; purpose Of tayor,ng t nnf
affected by the discrimination. One Of
the largest refneries Of the Standard
Oil company is located at Bayonne,
n. J. This refinery supplies the great,
err part Of New England with oil. 1t
is shipped in tank steamers from the
seacoast to Boston or some other point
from which it is distributed at a mini
mum railroad charge. The practical re-
suit Of this arrangement has been to
give an absolute monopoly to the trust
IN Cu1S DlS TeSlOu, DcCduSe IL WdS- oile
only concern having refinery on the
seacoast. -.~....
Forced to Surrender.
Attorney General Moody and Com
missioner Garfield conferred together tt
determine whether or not the policy Of
New England railroads constituted al
illegal discrimination under the Sher
man law and the Elkins law. It is no
necessary to institute legal suits to de
termine this point, however y Decays Dec! IS.
that the New York, New Haven !
Hartford railroad has abolished its ole
system and now no, Pro.rates on 9se OIL from Sd
followed suit and will now give thru
products.
This is a tremendous concession t.
the independent refners. 1t opens t.
them large and lucrative field from
which they have been excluded for
great many years. The action of thes
eanvassing of the New England state
by agents OF independent refners.
Tobacco Trust Whipped.
Similar reforms have been wrun
from other trusts since the prosecution
of illegal mbinations has become
reality The bureau of corporations
constantly hearing of concessions whic
the tobacco trust is making under pres
sure from Mr.. Garfeld's investigation
Retail tobacco dealers state that tn
trust has relaxed it's persecution in
number of instances recently On
dealer said that he thought the relic
brought to the retail trade in the cit
of Chicago alone more than compe1
stated for the total cost of maintainin
the bureau Of corporations since II
establishment. 40
One of the favorite methods Of tn
tobacco trust to kill off rival hs
been to punish the retailers who us
the products of the independent mani
facturers. The, trust controls the sa
chewing tobacco which every store. mu
have on it's shelves if it is to do an
business at all. The trust refuses
furnish these standard supplies to an
dealer caught flirting with rivals {
the trust Lately these tactics hay
been abandoned and smokers now ca
find any brand of tobacco they desil
in practically every store, regardless
whether the tobacco is the product
the trust or of independent firms.
The use Of false weights and mea
ures in the oil industry. was detecte
by Mr.. Garfeld's assistants. TIL
fraud was promptly stopped by tho
responsible for it when they learn,
that the government had knowled,
Of it. - -;
Oil Trusts Tactics.
s In pursuing his oil trust inquiry, Coz
missioner Garfield ran across gre
many interesting incidents which
vealed the methods of the Standa
Oil company Only a few of these cas-
were put in Mr.. Garfield IS report.
80 The story of an independent rein
Of Illinois who got the better Of t
oil trust throws some light on the wor
ing plans of the Standard Oil compal
for maintaining its monopoly. For
Continued on 4th Page, 9th Colum