The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-06-14

st. Paul, June THE state of Min
nesota is to institute suit to GUST the
Standard Oil company from the state.
The charge to be made will be dis
eliminating in the price of its oils
among communities in the state con-
trary to the provision of the so-called
Hinton law passed at the recent session
of the legislature.
The suit is the result of the complaint
recently filed with the secretary of state
by independent oil dealers. The matter
was referred to the attorney general, as
is required by the Hinton law, and
General Young has now selected
ID. G.. Richard of Minneapolis, who draft
ed the bill under which the prosecution
is to be made, to prepare the case for
presentation in court.
An appointment has been made by
Attorney General E. T. Young to meet
Mr.. Richard at the capitol this morn
ing when the provisions of the bill and
the authorities consulted in its draft
ing will be gone over and the prelimi-
nary details of the suit will be cOnsid-
cred.
The complaint of the Independent oil
dealers on May 20, and after it had
been transmitted to the attorney gem
eral that officials held several confer
ences with the independent dealers. The
question of what evidence could be pre-
scented to substantiate their charges of
IL. in, x,,n1 of, &c hn
ton law were discussed.
There was also some question of the
sufficiency of the complaint, but all of
these questions seem to have been clear
ed up to the satisfaction of the attor-
ney general and the Standard will soon
be put on the defensive with it's right
to do business in this. state at stake.
If the state proves its case to the sat
isfaction of the court and jury, the COM
pany will not only be forced to retire
from business in Minnesota, but it's Of
ticers and agents may be subjected to
fines not exceeding $1,000 and imprison-
ment in the county Jail.
The Hinton law, under which the
prosecution will be had, prohibits any
dealer in oils from discriminating be-
tween municipalities OF communities in
the price of it's oils and provides that
the price must be the same in all parts
of the state after allowing for the diff
ference in freight charges. The indie
pendents assert that the Standard on
May ID was selling an oil known as
water White" for ~ cents in the
twin cities and selling practically the
do Of oil Of of hor rnintS for
10 and lOh cents gallon. The Stand
ard Oil company insists that the two
oils are materially different in grade
and that there has been no violation of
the law. The independents assert that
this difference in prices was made for
the purpose of killing competition and
creating a monopoly.
Under the provisions of the Hinton
law the attorney general, having salts
fled himself that there has been a vio-
lation of the law, must bring an action
against the company for violating it. If
the company is convicted on this charge
state, without further proceedings. to
cancel the company's license to do bus
mess in the state.
The bill further provides that any Of
ficer or agent of the company found
guilty of violation of the law shall
be guilty of gross misdemeanOr and
shall be fined not more than $1,000 or
imprisoned in the county Jail for not
more than one year or both.
If after the revocation of the charter
the company shall continue to do bust
,osc in fba state II iS made tho dut "
of the attorney general to bring pro-
ceedings to Gust the company from the
state and to prevent it from doing all
business of any kind and character in
the state.