The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-02-05

From the RailaUay Woyld, January ;, 1908.

large shippers in the territory had been guilty.
Considering the fact that these shippers in
cluded the packers and elevator men Of Chi
eago the action Of the grand jury in calling
upon President Moffett to furnish evidence OF
their wrong-doing may be interpreted as de-
mand for an elaboration Of the obvious; but
the fact that a rate-book containing these
freight fates for other shippers was o1ered Ia
evidence during the trial and ruled out by
Judge Lands, was kept out Of sight. Presl-
dent Moffett would not, OF course, accept the
invitation Of the grand jury although he might
have been pardoned II he had referred them
to various ofhcial Investigations by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission and other de-
partments Of the Government.
We come back, therefore, to the conclusion
OF the whole matter, which Is that the Stand
ard Oil Company Of Indiana was fined an
amount equal to seven or eight times the val
ne Of Its entire property, because its trafac
department did not verify the statement OF
the Alton rate clerk, that the sixcent commod-
ity rate on oil had been properly fled with the
Interstate Commerce Commission There Is no
evidence, and none was introduced at the trial,
that any shipper Of oil from Chicago territory
had been interfered with by the 1S-cent rate
nor that the failure OF the Alton to file It's six
cent rate had resulted In any discrimination
against any independent shlpper,-we must
take this on the word Of the Commissioner
Of Corporations aud Of Judge Lands. Neither
is It denied even by Mr.. Smith that the "inde-
pendent shipper Of oil, whom he pictures az
being driven out Of business by this discrim-
inafion Of the Alton, could have shipped all
the oil he desired to ship from Whiting via
Dolton over the lines Of the Chicago & East
ern Illinois to East st. Louis In short Presi-
dent MoIett's defence Is still good, and we
predict viii be SO declared by the higher court.
The Standard Oh Company has been charged
with all manner Of crimes and misdemeanors.
Beginning With the famous Rice Of Marietta,
passing down to that apostle Of popular liDeT-
ties Henry Demarest Lloyd with his Wealth
Against the Commonwealth, descending by
easy stages to Miss Tarbells offensive person
alities. We finally reach the neither depths OF
unfair and baseless Misrepresentation in the
report Of the Commissioner Of Corporations.
The Standard has been charged with every
form Of commercial piracy and with most Of
the crimes On the corporation calendar. After
long years Of strenuous attack, under the
leadership Of the President Of the United
States, the corporation is at last dragged TO
the bar Of justice to answer for its misdoings.
The whole strength Of the Government is d.
rected against It. and at last, We are told, the
Standard Oil Company is to pay the penalty Of
It's crimes, and II Is finally convicted Of hav-
ing failed 70 verify the statement Of q rate
clerk and Is forthwith fined prodlgious sum
, measured by the car. Under the old criminal
law, the theft Of property worth more than a
shilling was punishable by death. Under the
Interpretation Of the Interstate Commerce law
I By Theodore Roosevelt and Judge KenesaU
Lands, a technical error Of a trafnc oficial ii
I made the excuse for the connseation OF yas
: amount Of property.