The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-08-30
STANDARD MAKES APPEAL
OIL COMPANY PRESENTS ITS SIDE
OF THE STORY.
CLAIMS TIMES OUT OF JOINT
Directors of the Standard Oil Com.
pany Have Issued a Pamphlet, Some
Of Which Came to Norfolk, to Show
That They Have Been abused.


A pamphlet setting forth their side
of the case has been received in Nor
folk from directors of the Standard Oil
company. The pamphlet has been is
sued for distribution among the com
panys employees and stockholders aud
copy of it is being sent to news pap
ers. The pamphlet contains a short
introduction from the directors, in
which is set forth their views of the
$29,240,0OO fine recently imposed by
Judge Lands of Chicago, and this is
followed by thirty-twO pages of edi-
torial extracts from number of news
papers and magazines which declare
that the fine was merely a play to the
galleries and that the present con
ditions of the public unrest, manifest
in continued attacks upon industries,
is bound to lead to disaster.
Following is the Introductory in the
pamphlet:
The directors of the Standard Oil
company, in printing this pamphlet
desire to emphasize for the half mill
ion of people directly interested in its
-
absolute innocence of wrongdoing in
any of the prosecutions lately institut-
ed against it in the federal courts.
Particularly is this SO in the recent
Chicago q Alton II. X. case, made no.
toriOus by the sensational fine of
$29, 24O, 600 imposed on the Standard
Oil company of Indiana.
1t should be known as widely as pos
sible that this is no case of rebate or
discrimination, but simply of the leg
ality of a freight rate. 1t should be
known that the verdict was obtained
by the government upon the most hair
splitting teChnicality, aided by the rig
orous exclusion of evidence that would
have removed all presumption OF
guilt.
If the judgement in question be
allowed to stand the company will be
forced to pay $4,000 Chat is, fifty
times the value of the OLD for every
carload carried over the Alton road
during two years at an open cent
rate-a rate used over three com
peting railroads for from ten to four
teen years! The trial judges refused
to allow proof that the cent rate had
been filed by the Chicago & Eastern
Illinois, and was, therefore, a legal
rate" He refused to allow proof that
linseed oil, for instance, was carried
at S cents, and other bulk commodities
as low as cents. He insisted that
IS cents was the only legal rate for
oil when no one had ever paid it, and
when it was authoritively sworn that
it did not apply to oil.
The case has been taken on appeal
to the higher courts to which we must
look for that calm judgement which
will rescue the rights of the citizen
from the field of public clamor and
from the domain of Vindictive politics.
So persistent and adroit has been the
warfare waged with all the overpow-
ering authority of the federal admin
istration against the Standtrd Oil COM
pany, that it has been manifestly
difficult to get a fair hearing before
the public or a large portion of the
press, the latter to it's great harm,
swayed alike by socialistic outcry from
below and political pressure from
above.
AS proof of the latter it may be
noted that in the presidents message
of May 4, 1906, attack was made on
the Standard Oil company for the pur-
pose of forcing the passage of the bill
renting the duty on denatured al
cohol-a measure in which the COM
pany was not interested. On May II,
1906, the issue of Commissioner Gar
fields report on petroleum transporta-
ton, tissue of old misrepresentation
was timed to influence the Hepburn
rate bill then before congress On
1907 Whi1a Tl1lpn I nndic had
still under consideration the Judge
ment in the Chicago & Alton case,
Commissioner Smiths illogical and
partisan report on pipe made public.
The commissioners second report
on petroleum prices and profits
a wholly false deduction from in
complete facts - was sent in ad-
vance to the press for publication on
August in the knowledge that Judge
Lands would pronounce judgement on
August 8. Here surely is evidence of
a combination influencing all sources
of public opinion, disturbing the ord
erly dispensatiOn of justice, sanction
ing in advance and supporting when
made, the most sensational opinions
and judgements hostile to the com
pany.
What motive underlies the campaign
of defamation need not here be dis
cussed, but for all, friends and foes, it
is reiterated that the Standard Oil
company is carrying on a widespread
business of great moment to the pros
perity of the American people in alb
solute obedience to the soundest prin-
ciples of business and to the spirit
and letter of the law. Attacks upon it
of the kind described are aimed at the
nations industrial and mercantile life.
1t is encouraging, amid the fury of
the hour, which assails so many cor
porations, all organized industry and
all wealth, to know that scores of edi-
tors through the country, on eXamin-
alton of the facts have forcibly and
clearly expressed their opinion that
the greatest wrong has been done to
the Standard Oil company. Following
their example, it is sincerely hoped
that editors who have passed hasty