The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1908-01-21
COMMISSIONER SMITH VS.. the STANDARD Oil CO.
From the Railpay World. January ,, 1908

Chicago and Eastern fillnols do not run into
Chicago. They terminate II nnltoa. from
which point entrance IN made over the Belt
Line Whiting. where the oil freight originates
e not on the lines OF the Chicago and Eastern
Illinois. which receives it whiting freight
from The neit Line ai Dalton. The former
practice. now discontinued IN filing tariffs was
to make them rvad from paint the line OF
the filing road and II was aao general 10 state
on the same sheet. that the tariff would apply
to other points. @ r.. Whiting. The Chicago
and Eastern Illinois followed this practise in
fIling It's rate from Doiion. aud making q note
on the sheet that II applied to whiting This
was 10 1895 when this method Of filInE tariffs
vas In common use
New LEI ~ see In what vay the intending
shipper of oil could be miaied and deceived b.
the fact that The Chicago and Eastern Illinois
had not filed rate reading from Whiting
Commissioner Smith contends that conceal
ment is the only motive for such a circuitnus
arrangement" l. q. thar this method Of filing
the rate IVES Intended 10 misicad intending com
petitora Of the Standard OF Company. Suppose
usich a prospective oil rrfiner had applied 90 the
Interstate commcrce commission for the rate
from Chicago TO East 81 Louis over the Chi.
eago and Eastern Illinois. he would have been
informed that the only rate filed with the com
mission by this company Was Ga cents from
Dolton. aud he would have been sarthcr In.
formed II indeed he did not know this already
mat this rate applied throughout Chicago ter
riinry so that whether he wished TO locate
his plant al Whiting or anywhere eiac about
Chicago. under an Arrangement OF long stand.
Ing and which Applies 60 all the industrial
towns In the neighbofhood OF Chicago he could
have his freight delivered over the Belt Line
TO the Chicago and Eastern Illinois At Doitou
and transported 10 East 81 Louis al a rate of
Ga cents. Where theu Is the eanceaiment
which the commissioner of corporations makes
so much Oft Any rater-from Dolton on the
Eastern Illinois or Chappell ON the Alton. or
Harvey the Illinois Central Hue Island
on the Rock Island, applies throughout Chicago
territory to shipmeptsl from Whiting, as TO
shipments from anyfother poiut In the district
So far from the Eastern Illinois filing It's rate
from Dolton In order TO deceive the shipper. IL
beirnyr his gross yf4suce of transportation
customs IN Chicago territory or relies on the
public ignotBnce Of these customs to deceive
the public too apt TO accept unquestioningly
every statement made by a government off.
eial a. necessarily trne although. as IN the
present instance. careful examination show
these statements 20 be false.
The final point made b. President Moffett
that other commodities uf \ character similar Ia
oil we're carried ~ much lower rates than Is
cents. the commissioner OF corporations dis
eusses snly with the remark that the reason.
ableneas Of this rate " not In question. The
question Il whether this rate constituted a dis.
elimination as against other shippers Of oil
and he also mikes much OF the failure Of Pres.
ident Moffett 90 produce before the grand Jury
evidence OF the alleged isetss 'rcts Of which the