The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-10-24

1909. the latest data that | have.
Their policy was to control
transportation. and by controlling
transportation and the enormous
volume OF business In the re-
fined product, they fixed the
price OF crude at figures which
they chose TO give Since that
date of the decree OF dissolution
MAY. 1910 the price Of crude
oil has advanced from IL cents
TO 10 cents a DARRELL in the Mid
Continent field, from SIS cents 10
81 cents in the Illinois field.
and from $3.50 TO $50 In the
Pennsylvania fieid-those being
practically the large fields OF
production CT refinable oil. or
course. these increases In the
price OF crude, which benefit the
producer of the crude, and not
either the Standard Oil compa-
MES or the independent refining
and marketing companies, has
resulted in somewhat in
creased price of the refined prod
uctg, added TO which the enor-
nous increase In the demand
for gasoline in the United States
materially contributed.
"Of course, too short a period
has elapsed since the disinte-
grafton of the Standard Oil COM
bination TO accurately estimate
the full effect of that decree,
but it is very apparent to every
one engaged in the oil business
that the independent companies
have to-day an unrestricted and
uncontrolled opportunity to car
ry on their business without un-
fair, secret and oppressive COM
petition on the part of one great
rival, than they have enjoyed
for years past. This of itself is
a tremendous and significant re-
suit which has been brought
about, and could only have been
brought about by the Govern
ment's prosecution. With this
opportunity and insurance of it's
permanence growing competition
will benefit the public in natural
course and as a necessary result.
and a monopoly of the business
be impossible. :,
yours very respectfully,
&C. D. CHAMBERLAIN,
"Secretary and General Coun-
sci, the National Petroleum
Association
If Colonel Roosevelt was willing
seek office by taking temporary a.
vantage of such important testimon
highly creditable to his course
President, he could d oso, and fro
the standpoint fthe average POI
clan he could d oft legitimately. CO
Roosevelt, however, is not an ave
age politician. He is a big man;
is a patriot, and he is a statesms
with a far-seeing eye.
Nobody knows better than he tn
the man who wrote the above lett
is either fooled on account of tt
temporary increase in the price
oil to the producer, or else that he
bought. Exactly the same situate
exists in the tobacco territory.
I Our correspondent who wrote t
letter quoted from in the beginning
this article is receiving to-day bett
| prices for tobacco than he has in t
years. He is fooled by this conditi
into believing that the Governme
suit against the Tobacco Trust is ]
] sponsible for the increased pric,
! Colonel Roosevelt knows that this
! man and that this tobacco man, VIII
receiving to-day satisfactory prit
| and higher prices than they have
! fore received in ten years, have
protection, but are at the absoll
| mercy of the Standard Oil Trust a
the Tobacco Trust. He knows tt
these prices are being paid to f,
these very men and the public g,
orally. 1t is being done to try
make these men and their frie1
and the public generally vote in ia,
of continuing present conditions.
knows that the minute the Amerie
1people vote to endorse either Pre-
!dent Taft or Governor Wilson, Il
1.-The trusts will take this as an
! dorsement of their position, and t
. then they will reduce the price
oil and tobacco to the producer, &
at the same time raise the price
kerosene oil and other products &
the price Of tobacco to the consun
and the public, both producer {
sconsumer, will be helpless, and t