The Dolores star., 1908-01-31

large shippers in the territory had been guilty.
Considering the fact that these shippers in
cluded the packers and elevator men Of Chi
cago the action Of the grand jury in calling
upon President Moffett to furnish evidence Of
their wrong-doing may be interpreted a. de-
mand for an elaboration of the obvious: but
the fact that rate-book containing these
freight fates for other shippers was offered in
evidence during the trial and ruled out BY
Judge Landis was kept out Of sight. Presi-
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 ID that the Stand
ard Oil Company Of Indiana was fined N
amount equal to seven or eight times the val
ue OF its entire property. because Its trame
department did not verify the statement Of
the Alton rate clerk. that the sixcent commod-
ity rate on oil had been properly filed with the
Interstate Commerce Commission. There ID 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 rats
nor that the failure Of the Alton to file its six
cent rate had resulted in any discrimination
against any independent shipper,-we must
take this on the word Of the Commissioner
of Corporations and Of Judge Lands. Neither
is 1t denied even by Mr.. Smith that tho "inde-
pendent shipper Of oil, whom he pictures -
being driven out Of business by this discrfm-
ination Of the Alton. could have shipped an
the oil he desired to ship from Whiting via
Dolton over the lines of the Chicago Z East
ern Illinois to East st. Louis. In short, Pres5-
dent Moffetts defence Ii still good, and W.
predict will be SO declared by the higher court
The Standard Oil Company has been charged
with all manner of crimes and misdemeanors.
Beginning with the famous Rice Of Marietts,
passing down to that apostle Of popular hber-
ties. Henry Demarest Lloyd. with his Wealth
Against the Commonwealth, descending by
easy stages to Miss Tarbelrs offensive person
alhies. 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 IL at last dragged to
the bar Of Justice to answer for its misdoines,
The whole strength of the Government IL d.
rected against 1t, and at last, We are told the
Standard Oil Company Is to pay the penalty Of
its crimes, and It is finally convicted OF hAv-
ing failed to verify the statement of . rate
clerk and is forthwith fined q prodigious SUM,
measured by the car. Under the old criminal
law, the theft Of property worth more than
shilling was punishxhle by death. Under tho
Interpretation Of the Interstate Commerce law
by Theodore Roosevelt and Judge Keneoaw
Landis. . technical error Of . tra1ac oMcial u
made the excuse for the connscation a vast
amount ef pEopssty.