Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-04-28

the interstate commerce commission to
power in the enforcement Of its rulings,
tremendous efforts were made by
Messrs. Aldrich, Gallinger and the rest
Of the reactionaries to include in the
law provision for court review Of
the commissions decisions. The pro-
gressive tendency Of the time was dis
tinctly against any court review, for
1t was the courts which had emascuat-
ed the commission Of its power under
the old law. The people generally
feared a repetition Of this. They want
ed to control the railroads. They want
ed to obviate forever the possibility Of
a continuance Of the processes by
which such concerns as the Standard
Oil company had used the common car
riers to collect rebates on their own
business and on that Of their competi-
tors at the same time. The reaction
aries succeeded IN getting a form Of
court review into the law, but not as
free a one as they desired.
Trust and Commerce Court.
"Now, you will remember that W.
r. Hearst during the campaign of 1908
read from the platform in different
portions Of the country letters that had
been procured by some means from the
files Of the Standard Oil company. 1t
was charged that the letters were
stolen, but their authenticity was ac-
knowledged. They were genuine let
ters, however procured. In reading
them as they appeared in the papers
was one day not much surprised to
learn that the idea Of a separate court
Of review for interstate commerce COM
mission decisions had emanated from
the Standard Oil company. They were
the first people to invent the idea of a
commerce court. The proof of 1t was
found in letter written by Joseph Sib-
ley Of Pennsylvania, member of the
house and confessed congressional lob
byist for the Standard Oil company.
He was not the only lobbyist employ
ed by that company we may believe,
but he was one.
"In this letter, written by Mr.. Sibley,
at Washington, on Feb. 20, 1905, to Mr..
John d. Archbold of the Standard OIL
company and read from the platform
by Mr. Hearst at Memphis, Tenn, on
Sept 10, 1908, Is found the following
paragraph relative to a certain Sena-
tor b. who is described as wholly and
unalterably opposed to President
Roosevelt's policy regarding corpora
tions:
"In re- power to fix railroad rates Mr. g.
is for giving power to make rates, but will
fight the idea Of n separate court.
WAS SORRY NOT TO BE ABLE TO
CHANGE HIS VIEWS ON THAT TOPIC,
Lobbying In tho Senate.
Here is documentary proof that the
Standard Oil company had conceived
the idea Of a commerce court as long
ago as before February, 1905, and that
its lobbyists were engaged at that time
in trying to gain support in the United
States senate for the establishment Of
such court. On Oct 80, 1908, only a
week before the election that was to
decide the fate Of Mr., Taft, John ID
Rockefeller takes most unusual pains
to serve public notice upon all friends
Of his kind of business throughout the
country that Mr.. Taft was the man to
support for president. Now, what In.
formation did Mr.. Rockefeller have
that caused him to take this very unu.
sual means to place his attitude on the
presidential election before the bust.
ness worldl What could 1t have been ?
myself do not know, but l do know
that very shortly after his election Mr.,
Taft gave notice that he had the com.
merce court idea In his mind; do
know that before Mr.. Taft had been
long In the White House he caused a
bill to be drawn providing for such a
court and he used the power OF his
administration to enact that bill into
law, Mr.. Rockefeller evidently wanted
a commerce court. Mr.. Taft FASTENED
to give him one as soon as he was safe
ly elected. The plain Inference must
be that the sugar trust was not the
only one OF the great combinations that
found way to get at Mr. Tar. Gun
only believe that the Standard oil com
pany had its friend who could slip into
MIR. Tafts presence and yet what II
wanted,
A working Arrangement"
"But, more than that, the selection
Of Mr.. Tafts cabinet aud the general
attitude OF the Taft administration in
the tariff session aud later convinced
me that the administration had some
sort Of working arrangement with
Big Business. am certain Big
Business thought It had such a rela-
tionshlp. The presidents complete
change Of front in regard TO the tarltI,
the commerce court legislation, the
speech giving clean bill Of health to
Senator Aldrich, the Administrations
conduct OF the Balllnger case, the WI
mona speech extollng the Payne-Al-
drlch law and many other things con.
vinced me that such an understanding
existed. The country had honored
Colonel Roosevelt for the enemies he
made, yet those enemies became Mr..
Taft's most ardent supporters from the
very first. Figure It out for yourself.
Just to make Il plain In a few
words, ] may say that l am informed
that the dissolution Of the Standard
OH company and lts reorganization by
| Tho cirnuit co,,rf undnr terna 70 which