Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-02-01
CRIMES OF THE STANDARD.


CRIMES OF THE STANDARD.
Inter State Commerce Commission
Files Arraignnent.
The following are some Of the crimes
charged against the Standard Oil COM
pany by the interstate commerce COM
mission
MOnopolization.
knitting the competitors.
Discrimination.
False pretenses.
Fraud.
Bribery.
Corruption Of the press.
Debauchery of state inspectors.
Remedies suggested by the commits
sion:
Disassociation Of the production ana
the transportation Of 1t.
The government to fix rates for the
transportation Of oil.
The most terrific arraignment OF
the Standard Oil company yet made
by either private or public investiga- :
tor was that filed with congress today
by the interstate commerce commits
sion.
Every conceivable corporate crime
from discrimination and false pre-
lenses to bribery, corruption of the
press and debauchery Of public offic-
ials, Is contained In the catalogue OF
charges
After long and painstaking inves-
tigation, ordered by congress, In which
hundreds of witnesses were examined
in various cities of the country, and
ample opportunity was given the oil
octopus to defend itself; the commits
sion makes a report that completely
overshadows the sensational disclos-
ures revealed in the report Of Commits
sioner of Corporations Garfield on the
same subject last May.
Mr.. Garfield's report was confined
largely to the relations Of the Stand
ard Oil company to the railroads OF
the country: the interstate commerce
commissions report goes into the whole
subject Of monopolistic control OF the
oil market With a wealth Of detail,
II describes the devious methods en-
ployed by the Rockefeller combine to
crush competition.
Some of these methods are outlined
by the commission as follows:
The Standard has sold different
grades of oil at different prices from
the same barrel.
1T has paid employees Of independ-
ent oil companies for information as
to the business Of those competitors,
and has paid employees Of industrial
companies to secure the adoption OF
it's oil in preference to that Of Its
competitors.
1T has followed every barrel Of in
dependent oil to destination. Its
agents are instructed to secure Gus
toners at any sacrifice.
1T has tampered with the oil inspec-:
tors in different states. The laws of
several states concerning the inspec-
ton of oil are singularly defective,
and this has been turned to profit by
the Standard.
THE Standard buys advertising
space in many newspapers which 1t
fills. not with advertisements, but
with reading matter prepared by
agents kept for that purpose and paid
for at advertising rates, as ordinary
news. The assumption is that this
literature furnishes many Of the ideas
touching the great benefit conferred
upon the public by the Standard OIL
company.
"The Standard has repeatedly, after
becoming the owner OF a competing
company, continued to operate 1t un-
der the old name. carrying the idea to
the public that the company was still
independent and competing with the
Standard.
1T has used such purchased or in
dependently organized companies to
kill off competitors by such companies
reducing prices.
The operation of such fake inde-
pendent concerns has been one OF its
most effective means of destroying
competition.
"The Standard has habitually re-
duced the price against its competitor
in particular locality. while main
tanning its prices at other places When
competition was destroyed 1t restored
or advanced former prices"
The commissions only knowledge OF
the competitive methods Of the Stand
ard Oil company. says the report, was
obtained from evidence taken under
oath. 1t Is stated that the Standard
was given permission to explain or re-
but the facts.
This evidence IL true" continues the
report. demonstrates that the compet-
tive methods of the company in the
past have been unfair and even dis
reputable Its motto has been the de-
struction 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 refiners sell the
greater part of their product in for
eign countries. One independent tes-
titled that IS per cent of his product
went abroad. and said he could COM
pete with the Standard in Germany,
where it's methods as followed in this
country would not be tolerated, but
that he could not compete with it
here"
1t is the opinion Of the commission
that existing law is inadequate to cope
with the evils complained Of.
1T may become necessary, says
the report. for the uprooting Of estab-
lished wrongs and the prevention Of
others that the government shall fix
in the first instance the rates and reg
ulations for the transportation Of oil.
This method has been adopted by the
Legislature of one state. 1t will prob
ably be found necessary to disassoci-
ate, in the case of Oil, as in that Of
Natf lon, ~