Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-29
METHODS CONDEMNED.

Standards methods of competition.
saying:
METHODS CONDEMNED.
The Standard has repeatedly. after
becoming the owner of Il competing
| company. continued to operate 1t UNI
der the old name, carrying the Idea 10
the public that the company was stili
| independent and competing with the
Standard. II has used such purchased
or Independently organized companies
TO kill off competitors by such compa-
MES reducing prices. The operation oil
such fake independent concerns has
been one of It's most effective means of
destroying competition. The Standard
has habitualIy reduced the price
against it's competitor In particular
locality, while maintaining prices AT
other places. When competition was
destroyed II advanced or restored for
mer prices. The Standard has sold dit
| ferent grades OF oil at different prices
from the same barrel. 1t has paid en-
ployes of independent oil companies for
information as to the business of those
competitors and has paid employees OF
Industrial companies to secure the ad'
ditlon of its oil in preference to that
of its competitors. 1t has followed
every barrel of indepndent oil to its
destination. Its agents are instructed
to secure customers at any sacrifice. 1t
has tempered with the oil inspectors
In different states. The laws of several
states concerning the inspection of oil
are singularly defective, and this has
been turned to profit by the Standard
COMMISSIONS KNOWLEDGE.
"The commissions only knowledge of
| the competitive method of the stand
ard oil company is obtained form evil
dence taken under oath in this investl-
cation. The Standard was given per-
mission to explain or rebut the facts
This. If true. demonstrates that the
competitive methods of the company IN
the past have been unfair aud disre-
putable. Its motto has been the de-
structlon Of competition at any cost,
| and this policy has been pursued with
out much reference to decenCy or con-
science, and 1t is significant that the
larger independent refineMes sell the
| greater part of their product in for
egn countries. One Independent pro-
Queer testified that 75 per cent of his
| product went abroad, and said that he
could compete with the Standard in
Germany, where its methods as fol-
| lowed in this country would not be toll
Grated. but that he could not compete
| with 1t here"
On the question of remedies. the re-
| port says:
more than anything else the pipe
| line has contributed to the Standard
| Oil monopoly, and its supremacy must
continue until its rival enjoys the same
transportation facilities The amended
| act to regulate commerce makes the
| existing pipe lines common carriers
subject to the act and the power to
| prescribe just and reasonable rates, re-
| gulations and practises after complaint
or hna mir on fa,sr he.
commission. But the pipe line tariffs
| filed with the commission are alleged
| to be of no actual advantage to the in
| dependent operators. The commission
| only can act upon these schedules aft
! er the complaint has been made chal-
longing specific rates, regulations or
| practises, Some complaints are now
! pending. How far the amended au-
| thority will prove adequate to the cor
| rection of such injustice as now exists
| in respect to this traffic remains to be
! seen.
| NOTHING LIKE IT'S MONOPOLY.
"since in the past petroleum rates
! have not always been established to
| promote but often to check, traffic, and
| the tariffs are more or less permeated
| with determinations In favor of the
Standard oil company, having been
| built up during a series of years in
! tina VIEW II may be that this diScrim-
nation win never be eliminated by any
| process of complaint against a specific
rate or practise. Judging by the past,
| Determinations as TO this traffic may
| arise more frequently than those now
existing can be rooted out by that
| method. As to no other important tart
fic is there i'm approach to the monopo-
| ly OF the Stapdard Oil company in that
of oil. Under these conditions 1t may
| become necessary TO the uprooting OF
established wrongs and the prevention
| of others that the government shall
| fix in the first instance the rates and
regulations Tor the transportation of
| this traffic. This method has been
adopted by the legislature Of one state
| II probably will be found necessary to
dlsassociate in the case of oil as in that
of other commodities. the function OF
transportation from that of production
and distribution. What other remedies
IN addition TO those already provided
II may be necessary to prescribe can
be better determined in the near fu-
ture by the results OF eXperuece in
| administering the present law