Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-13
PROPOSES STANDARD AND
ASSOCIATED JOIN AGENY
California Oil World Advocates a
Merger for Benefit of All
Parties Concerned

We return to our proposal that in all
| seriousness the Associated and the
Standard Oil company of California
shal become members, on a/par with
all other members, of the Independent
Oil Producers agency, says the Cali
fornia Oil World.
To suggest that these corporations in
their own behalf identify themselves
with the Independent cooperative ef-
| fort seems absurd, and without con-
! sideration it appeals to even the intel
| ligent mind as entirely out of the ques-
tion and something not entitled to a
moments sober thought. Nevertheless
! when it is remembered that the Asso-
Ciated Oil company and the Standard
the largest producers in the state, at
! least in no wise from the Independent
agency which, while being collectively
the largest producer by far-in the state,
/ is also like the Associated and the
Standard in being a buyer and seller of
oil, it must be admitted that the aims,
objects and life endeavors of the three
are virtually identical. Their purposes
being the same, it follows that they
are compelled to meet and overcome
virtually the same obstacles. and owing
to the eXigencies of the surrounding
situation they are compelled to adopt
practically the same methods A fur
| ther going into the subject will show
still more emphatically that TO all in
tents and purposes the three are one.
Hence the conclusion is irresistible that
the three should work and cooperate
as one in order that each shall con-
serve it's own best interests.
The present condition of the public
mind here and throughout the nation
relative to the good and evil of COM
| binations ain restraint of trade" makes
4 .1x-fn. III f1A Ae. lf N
of those concerned to cooperate as in
dividuals, although it is capable of
demonstration that n union of all
| forces would immeasurably benefit the
! companies engaged in purveying oil
and would benefit equally the produc-
! ing public and the consuming public.
NOT DIRECTLY
It is an axiom that the result of an
act which the law forbids to be done
directly cannot be obtained indirectly,
but the law of the state of California
as we'll as public sentiment through
out the United States expressly ap-
proves cooperative efforts along the
lines of the Independent Producers. In
nearly every state in the Union, Cal
| ifornia being no exception, there are
statutes which distinctly encourage
! combinations the effects of which will
| tend to the public good and a clearly
| definite law is upon our books max
| ing legal such cooperative efforts as
| the Independent agency, Fruit Grow
ers' exchange, Shingle Makers asso-
! citation and the like.
| These are organizations which pro-
mote trade rather than hinder 1t, and il
the Standard and Associated profes-
| sions are true, namely, that they are
not only the enemies but on the con-
trary are the friends of the produc-
ers, they being themselves producers
they can protect their business, fur
! ther their interests, conserve their re-
| sources, rise to a position above sus-
picion of wrongdoing, establish the in
| dustry of oil on this coast more firmly,
| guarantee and secure the victories of
peace rather than those of war, by
| accepting membership in the agency,
So to do might seem reversal of past
policy, but when any man or company
| steps over the line which separates
individual struggle from group strug-
gle a reversal takes place as radical
and thoroughgoing as that herein sug-
gested and is of equal moment. What
was it but a reversal of past policy
when all the many small companies
joined the agency? What of the Union
Oil company, Doheny and those max
ing up the Nevada Petroleum, using
these as conspicuous instances?
GROUP OF REt1NERIES
1t should not be forgotten that the
| Standard is essentially a group of re-
fineries and that the Associated is but
a group of producers, and that each
member of these respective groups un-
| derwent a radical change of business
system when he engaged to work with
his fellows instead of against them
What these same institutions have
once done they can and should dc
again for their own sakes as we'll as foI
others, and by such action they will
simply be obeying the laws OF growth
and evolution.
Personal pride in a few cases might
be hurt in the process, but that can
! be put to bed and nursed back to
health; or, if the worst comes to worst
| it can be decently inferred with such
appropriate exhibitions of GRIEF as may
suggest themselves to the sorrowing
! ones.s No one will object if the willing
! has all the woefuness of the music OF
| the sham and sackbut and windswept
! harp meath the willows by the waters
| of Babylon. If it is necessary IN order
| to get rid of the obstacle of personal
vanity everybody will agree to cry a
! little.
What's the loss of three or four or
! half a dozen swelled heads in a nation
of 9O00O,O0O people, all bent upon the
! country's prosperity and many of
whom are directly interested in the
| immediate and ultimate success of Cal
! ifornia oil?