Amador ledger., 1906-06-08
Washington
Letter.
(From Our Regular Correspondent.

Washington D. G. May 26, 1906.
Senltor DolIiver, just after the rate
bill passed the senate, had his atten-
tion called to an important feature of
the rate situation that seemed some
how to have gotten by the august
body completely. That was the
chapter of the Garfield report on oil
transportation dealing with the dis
elimination of the railroads in favor
of the Standard through open tariffs
legally printed and posted with the
interstate commerce commission where
anyone who asked could see them,
but where as matter of fact no one
ever did see them. 1t was just a
simple little device but very effective.
1t consisted IN taking oil out of the
classified list of articles carried by
the railroads at certain rate and
marking on it commodity rate'' as
is done with many other classes of
freight. Now the object of "com-
modify rate'' is to put all shippers
within certain district on an equal
footing in reaching the main market
1t is often done with different sorts
of agricultural produce and serves to
even up the geographical disadvant-
age under which some sections would
lie as against competitors selling in
the same market.
But the comm odity rate on oil was
made to serve very useful purpose.
The districts where the rate was To-
Gated were arranged solely with re-
ference to the Standard OIL refineries.
A comm odity rate would be made for
them that would carry their oil into
the most desirable markets and take
it from 100 to 800 miles further at the
same expense than if it had come
from an independent refinery. AT the
same time the commodity rate was so
arranged as to take the Standard Oil
products into the best markets at a
low cost while the independent re-
liners were never so situated as to be
able to call any market their own if
) it lay outside of wagon distance from
their front doors.
Interesting tables we're complied to
show that this juggling of rates work
ed out to the advantage of the Stand
ard from to 20 cents on every 100
pounds of oil sent over the railroads,
varying of course with the distance it
was transported. Now the reason
that this matter was not brought out
more clearly at first was that it was
tucked away in the back of the report,
and but lightly alluded to either in
Mr. Gartield's letter of transmittal or
in the presidents message to con-
gress. But now that the matter has
been brought clearly to the attention
of the senate, Mr. Dolllver promises
to see to it that there is no loophole
left in the law by which such dis
elimination can be practiced In the
future.
A very bad state of affairs has been
disclosed recently in the patent office,
and it is matter that probably Will
be taken up by the Keep commission
during their present Investigation of
the whole interior department 1t
seems that the patent office is as much
as eight months behind in some of
the examining divisions; and this
means that when a patent is sub
mitted, it is eight months before the
examiner even takes it up to look at
1t and sometimes year or two years
before decision is finally reached
and patent issued. This is an i'm
position on the public which supports
the office. The patent office is not
benefcent institution of the govern
ment. 1t is benefcent, but 1T does
not give patents away for nothing.
1t pays all of its expenses and hand
some revenue beside. The force of
patent examiners has recently been
increased by 100. But the commiss-
ioner of patents has not been able to
get them to work, and with little pro-
spect of catching up except after a
thorough reorganization.
There Is no question but that the
senate is going to have a beautiful
fight on its hands over the type of
canal that is to be built at Panama
The majority report, which is ex
pected next Tuesday, will call for
sea level caanl, bnt there will be a
strong minority report in favor of
lock canal and with the president and
the house both pulling that way,
there is lively contest in prospect.
Congress wants to get away, and {or