The state herald., 1908-01-31
Commissioner Smith VS.. The STANDARD Oil Go.
From tie Raiiyay Ho,ld, January ), 1905.

Chicago. They terminate at Dolton. from which
point entrance is made over the Belt Line
Whiting. where the oil freight originates, Ia not
on the lines of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois,
which receives its Whiting freight from the
Belt Line at Dolton. The former practice. now
discontinued. in filing tariffs was TO make
them read from n point on the line OF the III
ing road. and It was also general TO state on
the same sheet, that the tarin would apply to
other points, e. &, Whiting. The Chicago &
Eastern Illinois followed this practice In filing
its rate from Dolton, and making n note on
the sheet that is applied to Whiting. This was
in 1895 when this method of filing tariffs was
in common use.
Now let us see in what way tho intending
shipper OF oil could be misled and deceived by
the fact that the Chicago a Eastern Illinois
had not filed rate reading from Whiting.
Commissioner Smith contends that conceal.
ment is the only motive for such circutous
arrangement" |. O.. that this method OF filing
the rate was intended TO mlslead intending
competitors OF the Standard oil Company.
Suppose such prospective oil roiinor had APP
piled to the Interstate Commerce Commission
for the rate from Chicago TO East 81. Louis
over the Chicago a. Eastern Illinois. he would
have been informed that the only rato nled
with the commission by this company was GA
cents from Dolton. and he would hayo been
further informed. II indeed he did not know
this already that this rate applied throughout
Chicago territory So that whether he wished
to locate his plant at whiting. or anywhere
else about Chicago. under an arrangement OF
long standing and which applies TO all the In.
dustrlal towns In the neighborhood OF Chica.
co. he could hayo his freight delivered over
tho Belt Line TO the Chicago a Eastern iii,
noia at Dolton and transported 10 East 81.
Louis nt rate OF GA cents. Where then In
tho conrcament which the Commissioner Of
Corporations makes no much Of? Any rate
from Doton on tho Eastern Illinois or Chap
poll on the Alton. or Harvey on the Illinois
Central. or Blue Island on the Rock Island.
applies throughout Chicago territory TO ship.
monts from any other point In tho district,
SO far from the Eastern Illinois illlng ita rate
from Dolton in order 10 deceive the shipper.
Il In tho Commissioner OF Corporations who
either botrays HIS gross ignorance OF transpor.
tation customs In Chicago territory or relies
on the public ignorance of these customs 10
deceive tho public too apt TO accept unaueB
tloninEly every abatement made by n Govern
mcnt official M necessarily true. although, M
In the present Instance, n careful examination
shows these statements to bo false.
The final point made by President Moffetl
that other commodities OF character similar
10 oil were carried at much lover rates than
rs cents. the Commissioner Of Corporations
discusses only with tho remark that the
'ronHonnbleneHs Of this rate 10 not In question
The question Ia whether this rate constituted
discrimination m against other shippers ol
oil.' and he also makes much Of the failure oi
President Moffett to produce before the grand
jury evidence OF tho alleged illegal acts o
which the Standard OIL ofleiai said that olhei