Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-12
DISCRIMINATION ALLEGED
The Railways Of Kansas, II is Said,
Favor The Standard Oil Co. in The
Matter Of OIL Rates Outside
The State Of Kansas.
EIGHT RAILROADS ARE INVOLVED
In an Alleged Attempt to Crush
Competition.
HEARING WILL LAST SEVERAL DAYS
A..oelatea 30. pIlpateh br snsoI.lw VIC.

Associated Press Dispatch by sneclaiwirel
Kansas City. Mo, March i2.-Acting
upon resolutions adopted 10y both houses
of Congress, three members OF the Inter-
state Commerce Commission began hero
today an investigation of charges made
by independent producers OF Kansas
that the railways of Kansas discriminate
In favor OF the Standard Oil Co. In tho
matter of oil rates outside the State. The
railroads involved are the Santa fe, tho
Missouri Pacific the Missouri. Kansas a.
Texas. tho 81. Louis & San Francisco. the
Rock Island the Union Pacific, the KAN
sas City Southern and the Burlington.
Tho members of the Interstate Com
mcrce Commission who will make tho
investigation are Francis NJ. Cockroll,
Judson C.. Clements and Charles A.
prouty. John 4. MarChand, who has
been in the Southwest for the last two
weeks, making q preliminary mvestiga-
tion of tho producers charges. was present
today as the attorney for the commission.
Frank S. Monctt. former Encouragement.
ol Ohio. and Clifford lhorno of WASH
ington. Iowa. we're present as counsel for
| the independent producers. The rail-
roads Interested had representatives at
| the Investigation. and there were several
| interested spectators. Among tho latter
was T.. ID. Chamberlain of Cleveland, o.,
secretary of the National Petroleum As
sociation, comprising independent conn
panies Of Pennsylvania and Ohio. Ito
| said he was here to watch the proceedings
in the interest of his association.
The agitation for the investigation
begun today was started some time ago,
when Clifford 1hornc acting upon behalf
Of the Kansas Oil Producers Association,
filed with James r. Garfield, commis-
aonor Of corporations at Washington, ~
statement la which instances OF alleged
discrimination against tho independents
ia tho matter Of rates woro cited. This
statement said in part;
"Nour petitioners firmly believe that
no class OF shippers in tho United states
today Is moro directly affected by inter
state rates than the independent oil men,
hy reason Of the fact that the competitor
controls a great many railroad systems
and owns pipe lines forming n network
over the American nation, which renders
them practically independent OF the
freight rates they establish for then
rivals to pay. BY means OF remark
able manipulation of interstate freight
the Standard Oil Co. Is endeavorlng 20
crush all competition from the Kansas
oil fields TO points outside the State ol
Kansas. Today you can ship tho same
quantity Of oil 100 miles in Kansas fol
the same price that you can ship It five
| miles II these five miles happen 10 be ovel
L the State line"
While members Of the Producers As
sociation and railway officers will bo the
chief witnesses, the Interstate Commerc'
Commission has invited call persons
firms, companies or associations having
any interest in the proceeding" to appeal
and produce and cross-examine witnesses
Il is expected that the hearing will las
through Wednesday.