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

Mr.. Herbert Knox Smith, whose zeal in the
cause OF economic reform has been in no wise
abated by the panic which he and his kind did
50 much to bring on, is out with an answer to
President Moffett, Of the Standard OH Com
pany Of Indiana. The publication Of this an
swer, It is officially given out, was delayed sey-
eral weeks "foF business reasons, because It
was not deemed advisable to further excite
the public mind which was profoundly dis
turbed by the crisis Now that the storm
clouds have rolled by, however, the Commits
sIoner rushes again into the fray.
Our readers remember that the chief points
ID the defence OF the Standard OH Company as
presented BY President Moffett, we're ll that
the date Of six cents on oil from Whiting to
East st. Louis has been issued to the Standard
Oil Company as the lawful rate by employees
OF the Alton, t2) that the 1S-cent rate on file
with the Interstate Commerce Commission was
a class and not a commodity rate, never being
intended to apply TO oil, 90 that oil was
shipped IN large quantities between Whiting
and East st. Louis over the Chicago & East
ern Illinois at 6A cents per hundred pounds,
which has been filed with the Interstate Com
merce Commission as the lawful rate, and az
that the 1S-cent rate on oil was entirely out Of
proportion TO lawful rates on other commodi-
ties between these points OF similar char
aeter, and OF greater value, such, for example,
as linseed oil, the lawful rate on which was
eight cents. President Moifett also stated that
thousands OF tons OF freight had been sent by
other shippers between these points under
substantially the same conditions as governed
the shipments Of the Standard Oil Company
This defence Of the Standard on Company
was widely quoted ana mas undoubtedly exert
ed powerful influence upon the public mind
Naturally the Administration, which has
staked the success Of its campaign against
the trusts" upon the result OF its attack upoI
this company. endeayors to Offset this innu
ence. and hence the new deliYerance Of Com
missioner Smith.
We need hardly to point out that his rebut
tai argument is extremely weak. although a.
strong, no doubt, as the circumstances woulS
warrant He answers the points made by Presi
dent Molfett substantially as follows: % Tit
Standard OIL Company had a trafic department
and should have known that the six-cent rat
had not been Fled, t2) no answer CD the Chi
cago & Eastern Illinois rate was secret rat
because It read. not from Whiting but from
Doiton. which is described as "a village o
about 800 population Just outside Of Chicago
It's only claim to note is that It has been 70
many years the point Of origin for this an
similar secret rates" The Commissioner az
mits IN describing this rate that there was
note attached stating that the rate could ais
be used from Whiting
The press has quite generally hailed thi
statement Of the Commissioner OF corpori
Il.
IDENTITY recognized as the strongest rebutti
argument advanced by the Standard.
In fact, it is as weak and inconclusive as th
remainder Of his argument The lines Of th
Chicago & Eastern Illinois do not run int