Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-17

BY virtue of the authority vested
In him by the North Dakota statutes
Alfred Blaisdell, the secretary of
state, Thursday served notice upon
himself as the legal representative
In the state of the Standard Oil COM
pany of Indiana, to show cause why
its right to do business in North
Dakota should not be forfeited be-
cause Of unfair discrimination in the
sale Of its products.
Under Law passed by the last
legislature entire discretion in such
matters is left with the secretary of
state and after giving an offending
company an opportunity to be heard
the secretary has ample authority
under the law to prevent the corpor-
alton from doing business within the
borders of the state, If he believes
the evidence bears out the complaint.
The notice sent to the Standard
Oil company today by Secretary of
State Blaisdell follows:
Whereas, complaint has been
made to me this 18th day Of April,
1908, that the Standard Oil company,
corporation of Whiting, Indiana,
has been guilty of unfair discrimi-
nation within the terms of chapter
258 Of the laws of 1907 of the state
of North Dakota, which complaint is
now on file in my Office, and
Whereas, the Standard Oil COM
pany Of Whiting, Indiana, foreign
corporation, has filed in this depart
ment of state its appointment of the
secretary of state as its attorney with
certified copy Of its certificate OF
Incorporation, and has been granted
the benefits and privileges given by
law to foreign corporations upon such
compliance, and
n Whereas, pursuant to said chap
ter 258 of the laws of 1907 it is now
the duty of the secretary of state
to at once institute an inquiry as to
such alleged discrimination, and to
give said corporation complained of
notice of such complaint and an OPP
portunity to be heard, and if in the
opinion Of said secretary of state
such corporation shall have been
Mguilty of any such unfair discrimina-
tion under the terms of said chapter
258, to SO find, and make record OF
such finding upon the records of the
state department, and to at once, if
1t be foreign corporation, revoke
and forfeit its permit to do business
in the state of North Dakota; Now
therefore,
1T is ordered, that the said Stan
dard Oil company appear before me
at my Office in the city of Bismarck
county Of Burleigh and state OF
North Dakota, on the first day OF
June, 1908. at the hour of 10 in the
forenoon of said day, and show
cause, if any there be, why permits
sion to said company to do business
in North Dakota shall not be immed
lately revoked and forfeited"
The complaint, backed by evi
dence, alleges that the Standard OF
dence. was made by Attorney Gener
al McCue. 1t alleges that the STANDARD
Oil Co. has violated the law O.
1907 by discriminating between diff
ferent sections of this state in, thu
price OF commodities sold by tina
company, in that it has on man.
occasions during this year charged
dealers and consumers of this stat.
different prices for oil and gasolin,
of the same quality at differen
points equally distant from shippin.
point and where freight rates are tn,
same.
In this proceeding Secretary Blais
Z dell will be backed up by the Who'll,
aower of the state and lively figh
looked for. Many complaint
eing sufficient proof have come t,
secretary's Office during the las
NV months, but it was not until nov
nut Iva 81,