The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-01-31

Chicago. They terminate al Dolton. from which
point entrance is made over the Belt Line.
whiting where the oil freight originates. Is not
on the lines OF the Chicago & Eastern Illinois.
which receives It's Whiting freight from the
Belt Line at BOLTON. The former practice, now
discontinued. in filing tariffs was TO make
them read from a point on the line OF the nj
ing road. and II was also general to state on
the same sheet. that the tariff would apply TO
other points. e. r.. Whiting. The Chicago AZ
Eastern Illinois followed this practice in filing
it's rate from Do.ton. and making a note on
the sheet that is applied 10 Whiting This was
in 1895 when this method OF fling tariffs was
In common use.
Now let US see in what way the intending
shipper OF oil cou!l BE misled and deceived by
the fact that the Chicago & Eastern Illinois
had not filed rate ding from Whiting.
Commissioner Smith contends that conceal
ment Is the only motive for such circuitous
arrangement" l. e.. that this method OF filing
the rate was intended TO mislead intending
competitors OF the Standard Oil Company.
Suppose such prospective oil refiper had ap-
piled to the Interstate Commerce Commission
for the rate from Chicago TO East st. Louis
over the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, he would
have been informed that the only rate filed
cents from Dolton. and he would have been
further informed. If 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
dustrial towns in the neighborhood Of Chica-
go he could have his freight delivered over
the Belt Line TO the Chicago & Eastern I'LL
nois at Dolton and transported TO East st.
Louis at a rate OF Ga cents. Where then is
the concealment which the Commissioner OF
Corporations makes so much Of? Any rate
from Dolton on the Eastern Illinois or Chap
pell on the Alton or Harvey on the Illinois
Central or Blue Island on the Rock Island
applies throughout Chicago territory 10 ship
ments from any other point in the district
So far from the Eastern Illinois filing its rate
from Dolton in order TO deceive the shipper
II Is the Commissioner Of Corporations who
either betrays his gross ignorance Of transpor
tation customs in Chicago territory or relies
on the public ignorance OF these customs e
deceive the public too apt TO accept unques
tioningly every statement made by a Govern
ment cial as necessarily true. although. al
in the present instance. careful examination
shows these statements TO be false.
The final point made by President Monet
that other commodities Of a character simila
TO oil were carried at much lower rates thai
is cents, the Commissioner OF Corporation
discusses only with the remark that tn
'reasonableness' Of this rate is not in question
The question is whether this rate consuu te
discrimination as against other shipper. G
oil" and he also makes much Of the failur {
President Moffett TO produce before the gr an
: Jury evidence OF the alleged Illegal act
, which the Standard Oil official said that othe