Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / Jan. 20, 1908, edition 1 / Page 8
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8 CHARLOTTE DAILY OBSERVER, JANUARY 20, 1908. I i 50JIE IMPBESSiONS OF WASniSGTOS SOCIETY BY RED BUCK. Vice Prisldeot and Mrs, Charles W. Fairbanks received at their home on K street Wsdnesday evening from to 11:30 o'clock.- ... The Fairanka reception U consid ered one of the most pleasant social erents o( the season in Washington. The function is given hi honor of the congressional contingent. Invitations were Issued to 800 persons this year. Mr. and Mr. Fairbanks were assisted In receiving by Uncle Joe Cannon's daughters. Miss Cannon and Mrs. LeSeor; ' Mrs. Tlmmona, and Mrs. Nelson Blnilejv. ki . Having the good fortune to be in the press gallery. . I received a "bid" to call at the- Fairbanks home -and meet the Vlee President, his .wife and - daughters and their friends In the re . ceiving line. .1 wnt early to avoid the rush and w is ushered to the third floor, .where' I left "my overcoat and hat with a check boy. As I started back down stairs the clock struck tialf-paet 9. By that time the halls and cloak rooma were :we"tl Tilled with callers.' . ' Mr. and Mrs. Fairbanks were ' in line, with their assistants, in the par lor. I had sesn. the Vice .President many times oefjre but had -not looked him over carefully. Every day. the Senate Is In eesiion I see him. in his chair of 'honor in the chamber as he presides ovr the noble .law-makers; a number of times I have met him on Pennsylvania avenue, walking toward the Capitol. Before coming here I had seen " his pictures flu the papers and magazines, but they save only an idea of the shape Of his head and the cut of his face. As presiding officer of the Senate he is dignified and lmpas elonate; as companion to some frler.d on . the street he is a good, rapid walker, an entertaining talker, and In his parlor a gracious and hospitable-host. One who. had known no more of 'he Vice President than I. was struck with his height. There la something about him that makes , him resemble Mr. Richard J. Rey nolds, the tobacco king of Winston Salem. The two are of about one height and slice and look alike about the head. Mr. Fairbanks' face is cold and cun ning In repose, out when animated, as It was Wednesday night, it is warm and pleasant to Jook upon. He had the air of a man who was for the mo ment trying to forget the affair of the political arena and the business world. The Vice' President has 'been very successful .'n hla undertakings. He has mounted obstacles of all aorta during hla busy career as financier ana statesman. Po'itlcal honors have been won and a' snug fortune gained by constant effort and close applica tion. Slowly but surely he has made his way. Among his numerous en deavors he has launched or purchas ed newspapers and employed many talented writers. Some people give him a bad nams they say that to win the end always Justifies the means with him. Cut the man who soars above his fellows is due admiration; he must be equipped better than those about him. There is but little chance for Mr. Fairbanks' nomination at the Chicago convention, but people who have known htm for decades would not be surprisad to see him win out. Industry, cleverness arid everlasting digging my carry him through. Mrs. Fairbanks is considered one of the most charming women In social life here. She Is described as a per son of sweet disposition and sympa thetic heart. She is large and attrac tive, with light hair and beaming face. She stood ly thi side of her husband at the reception. Next to Mr. Fair banks was Ml Cannon, who Is larger find laller than her fallier, the famous Speaker of the House. Her hair Is dark. Mrs. Leh'our, her sinter, is of the blonde type-, and smaller than her sister. Nel'.her of them look like Uncle Joe. nor are t':ey as sprightly. ! The most interesting person among the receivers was Mr. Ttmmons, the Vice President'. handsome daughter, who almost as tall as her father, has the affable, fas.insting way of her mother. ' Nhe has light auburn hair, 'beautiful :r.n and hunds. and nueen ly manners. On the rright of the re r.i.ilnn M r TImmons stood In the middle of the room, several feet from the end of ihe formal re'-eivlng line, and weloii-.l ihe guests, making vert- one feel at home. As our party paired In firm Indies min creete.i by Mrs. Timniotis, ai r to ra-h m n Uh a most gracious mile: ' I omrht to kno.v you. 1 am Mr. TlTniM. Mr. and Mr. Fair tianke' dauahtci-. 'e arc mj glad to see you..' ' Having seen Mrs. TImmons nnd heard her sweet and gentle volco I reallr.ed on cau'e for the Vice Presi dent' sue -,. Mr.. TImmons could arry a State .'r Miy one If slie were willing t inirrtaKe the task. Re tire e sta.-l.vl i tit that iiihlit for the Fairbanks home a i"ng Southern girl, who hal af.ended t'.ie annual re ceptions there, hald: "You will see Mrs, TImmons. one of the most charming wo.r-iii In Washinston. She 1 so go.td looking. ' pleasant, and so natural" We found her so. Passing out of the parlor we drifted Into the Hpu-luu dining room, where the best of punch and .more st.bMiii tlat. If uol so delightful, refreshment were served. The lull was crowdul wilh well-dressed men and women and everybody In h-erful m'd. Among the most affable of the guests of the evening was Senator Hailey, of Texas, and he was greet" J cordially by all. Being a lirge. powerful man, with fiool figure and elegant manners, the Texan is a favorite with the tidies. Me circulated among his friends that night giving the glad hand. On turning to leave the dining room I Carre face to. far with Princess Kalmlanaole, wife of the delegate from Hawaii, accompanied by a lady from Congress Hall Hole'. Before I knew what had happened. I had been presented to the princess, who Is very portly and unique looking. 1 . told , her that I was more than glad to see her. She wore one of the! richest gowns of , the evening.' Dr. and Mrs. Zoch M-Ghe were met co tbt return trip. They came In a little late but were having a royal time, as all (Southerners do at such ! functions. I was glad to see some- j body from down home, for I had not ouite recovered from the honor of meeting a reil princess: I lold Dr. McGhe of what had come to me and he declared, "By George, you are; lucky:" - i While we' were passing the time" of the right with the McUbees, the hall-; way between the parlors and the din ing -room became blocked: the-centre of attraction was I'tid Joe Cannon, wearing his now-and-thens anl a pretty carnation, "Everybody was try ir.r to get at his hand to shake it and he Was all smiles. We shoved along and met the Speaker. The mouth-j'ie- f our party, the daughter ofi a North Carolina rebel, took hold of Uncle Joe's hand, and gave It a ;ueei and a shake and isld: "Wei re. from North Carolina, here all great people are born,-nl we want to speak to Uncle Joe." "Well, by Joe. you are all right. Give me your hands and let' us say. Hurrah Tor the Old North State!" Uncle Joe was more 1 than cordial. His face glowed and his eye twinkled with mischief. There were honors ahead. Presi dent Roosevelt, with dignity thrown aside and the spirit of a good fel low in his heart, passed the receiv ing line and . was "coming down the pike," grinning and chatting. "Shall w speak to the . PrelsdentT asked one of our party. "Certainly." declared the leader. "I'll Just tell him that we are North Carolina Roosevelt Democrats and he'll be glad to see us." John Wesley Gaines, the handsome, FAYETTEYILLE XEWS BUDGET. Protests to the Corporation Commis sion Coin panic. Elect Officer Superior Court De-ali With the li quor fellers and Gambler. Special to The Observer. ' Fayettevllle, Jan. J.1 A. Oates, president of the chamoer of com-' merce; W. E. Klndley. president of the Merchants' Retail Association, and J. II. Anderson, president of the Industrial Club, have filed earnest protests with the State corporation commission against tfhe discontinu ance of the Bennettsville "Shofly" train, as very prejudicial to the busi ness Interests of Fayettevflle. Two or three months ago the correspondent sounded the note of warning In h fiery Democrat of Tennessee.-who was newa letters Uiat this very dlscontlnu stindinsr near had Just given the mat aaee might take place, and he was ter ofihe White House a hearty broached as an alarmist, shake, heard our conversation, turn-! ' lie officers-elect of the Cross Creek ed and smileu. I extended my hand and Introduced the down-homers to the Tennesseean. "Here, Mr. Roosevelt," said Mr. Gaines, "Is a bunch of saucy Caro linians and they want to shake with you." s This done so gracefully by Mr. Gaines that I forgave him for passed sins and put him on my book of good fel lows.. - "We are North Carolina Democrats, Mr. President, but we ate loyal to the Union at this particular time," said our leader. "Bless you," said the President, "I'm delighted to see the Tar Heels." '""We do not vote with yoa but you are our 'President ami, as such, we admire you and will always.be loyal to - you." "By George, that's the right sort Wf talk. ' "We are 'ill Americans," shouted the President. As this conversation took place the Pretident wrung the hand of the North Carolina woman with his right and gesticulated with his left. Lfldlng and Loan Association are H. . W. Lilly, president; II. Lutterloh, vice president; C. Q. Rose, attorney; F. H. Medman. secretary at)d treasurer; C. W. Rankin, assistant secretary and treasurer. The reports show a re markably successful business since the organization of the association. . - Mr. J. 8. Schenck, of Greensboro, is here to take the position of manager of the Fayettevllle Insurance and Realty Company, and. will move hi family to this city as eoon as he can secure a dwelling. A"j Friday's stockholders' meeting of the Cumberland Savings and Trust Company the following officers were elected: F. H.-. Stedman, president; J. R. Tolar and J. V. McGougan, vice presidents; C. V. Rankin,'-, cashier. The directors. were authorized to In crease the capital of the company at their discretion. The criminal term of Superior Court has given Judge Long and Solicitor Sinclair a week -of hard work, many Let your Home beer be Schlitz because of its purity? Get the good without the harm. my W- extremes- filtered. In our brewery, cleanliness is carried to Even the air in our cooling rooms is 'We'll be to your next reception and leases having been added -to the dock want you to know lis when we pass.' "If you will Just say 'Tar Heels' and nothing more when you come, I will call your name." . "Surer "I'll let you on that." The Incident was one not to be for gotten by the visitors. Teddy was Just as pleasant as could be. In turning to po the Tar Heel asked: "Is Miss Alice, your daughter, hmrt . "I haven't seen her." "Well, we want to see her We like you down home, but we like Miss Alice better." "Go call on her,' said the President, Ijughlng. . , "May I?" "Yes, and tell her that I told you to go." But, In the meantime. Miss Alice end Nick had come In. They tfere at that moment shaking hands with Vice President and Mrs. Falrbands.- We greeted her and told ker of the con versation with her father. "How dp you feel, Mrs. Longworth, after your, recent illness?" asked the Tir Heel. "Bully." said Miss Allce.ljwlth the Roosevelt smile, I hope that I may live long enough and my fortnue he so great that I may attend another Fairbanks reception.- I had seen sufficient for one day. KED BUCK. Washington, D. C. et since court opened. There was no capital case, except that of Williams for criminal assault. Liquor , selling and gambling had a large place on the docket. Miss Mary McNeill Is visiting friendj at Hlllsboro. Miss Anna-Maloney has returned from a visit to Savannah, (la, Rev. G. F. Smith, pastor of Hay Etreet Methodlsri church, has been confined to the house for some days wun tne grip, A TYPICAL MISER.. A Strange TU?clu4 Watchman Whose House When Ho Died Was Found to Be a Junk Shop. Newbern Journal, 18th. Mr. Charles Anderson, the strange reclue and watchman, whose death was recorded In yesterday's Journal, was -buried In the national cemetery last evening. Rev. R. C. Bcsnvin con Juotlnj the services. ' '' . The passing of this ma- If of more than ordinary Interest, ll-i had been a resident of Newbern for many yenrs. It Is asserted that at had been watchman at the Old Dominion dock for 20 years and has been night watchman for the t'ty for several year, but he ha J made few, acquaintances nor did he care for them. Ho was a familiar figure around the streets, yet few knew his name. He was strangely re-pellant to any one desir ing to be friendly with him. I Ma home presented a strange spec tacle to these who went it when he was found deaJ. It resembled huc Junk shop. It Is mM that there was nothing sold in any stor-j that he could not dplrcate. There was furni ture of all descriptions, bulls of cloth, suit of cloth, boxes or clothing, boxes of shoes, ell kin J of tools, drug, toys, ,hldren's urts, pictures, crockery. gold and rllvot dishes, knlvns nnd fork, gent'emen's fur nlxhlngx. nnd every article for houe keeping a iK'rsin could dslre. His house and n house IJoltilng were fl!lrtl almcst to nverflowl.'jr ivlth these goods. H'w ho got them is a mys tery. The great numbfr of things which were in the hoini led those who went in to srarch :h room for he possible hiding pluv of money. Their search was rewarded. Inside the ma-ttresM and around the bed was found mmv in sliver do'Inrs.- halves and qunrters and some tills to the amount of t37." which usi put in to a -'.ird "n and given Into chnre of Clerk of the Court W'lllam Wat son, who put. the money In the bank ur-Ml lecri! "Hffo'lt'on could be male. Mr. f. .t. McCarthy, ptibile admlnls- trotor. will have charge of the estate in l will take due lcal nrans to be Informed -s to whether anv one has a ripht to have poselon f the mon- ev and gcds. Miou'.l thre 'he no claimant, the Viw dlrec.s that the rionpv .hall be given to the State Unlver-lty. TO PAVK NKWBERX STREETS. About Tvtclve Miles' -of Granolithic Is to Bet lut Dovrn New Dynamo Re Ing Installed. Special to Tlio Observer. Newbern, Jan. 1 9. Me?srs. Colvln Si .Henry, civil engineers, are making a survey of the city, preparatory to the putting down of granolithic pave ment on the sldewaiks. a bond issue of 150,000 was voted for-,thls pur pose last Kprlnf and within twelve months Newbern expects -to have sev eral miles of good sldewaiks, the In tentlon being to pave about twelve miles. ' The city is now Installing a Virgo directly connected engine ana ayna mo at the water and light plant. This machine Is to furnish night current. and the present plant will be run to furnish d-ay current. It Is hoped to have the day current on within twenty days. The price of current was raised January 1st frcm 10 cents a kliwatt to 16 cents and a snaing scnie of discounts made, none of which hit the smull user. A farmers' institute was held In the court house'' Friday. The State D partment of Agriculture sr Raleigh sent four men and the Ut.lted State Jepartment at Washington sent three to conduct the Institute. The attendance was small bit; the pro gramme Interesting and hdpful. PROGRESSIST. PLATI)RM. Japanese Polltlral Organisation Holds Mcctinr and Define In position. Toklo, Jan. 1. -Members of the Progressist party lo-4xy a general meeting, which ia always held on the eve of the opening of the Diet for the purpose of denning a platform, passed .resolutions of -which the fol lowing was the preamble: "Whereas the cabinet has shown that It has failed in pt.t bellum measures by faulty Internal adminis tration and the national development has been Interrupted, while ita weak Jlplomacy Is a et.-iln on the national prestige, thus exposing Itself to the national indignation, our party de mands! the government's explanation on seven points." Among the seven points. Increase of taxation, method of compilation of the budget and wtuk diplomacy were the principal features. Count Okuma, leader of the Progressist, did not at tend the meeting. The Progressists h'dd eighty-nine .seats In the Houe of Representatives. One prominent leader left the party an! Joined the Conrtltutlonallsta yesterday. Every freedom bottle of Schlitz beer from is sterilized, to insure germs. u I And all Schlitz beer is aged it cannot cause biliousness.. Be as careful Ask for the Brewery Bqttling. ' . Common beer is sometimes substituted for Schlitz. To avoid being imposed upon, see tliat the cork or crown is branded for months, so that of your; beer as" you are of your food. Order Schlitz, and be -sure of it. - V , All orders sent to Whitlow and Perrow, Old Phone, 366, . Middlesboro, Kentucky, will receive prompt -attentioa I waykcefamoiis. and when the court convenes It will be presented a compronrl:o Judgment to sign. This Is the caso of Robert Perry, -administrator of ths estate of the late Tom Lansford, who was kill ed in the Standard Oil explosion- a year ago last July. Ther were two of these damage suits anil this gets one off the docket The administrator for the Lansford estate sued for damages In the sum of $5,000 hut the contending parties are together and . it Is 'learned, though no court record has yet been made of thevcase, that the plaintiff in this action has been aardej 1750 in full settlement of the claim and that this record will oer made early next week. Lansford was a colored man and rwaa the one who waso: the Inside of the oil tank cleaning It out when he etruck a match that ignited the gases and caused the explosion. He did not know the dangers that would result from i the striking of ' a match end this he dkl. The mass meeting for the purpose of forming law ahd rder league will be held In the court house one week -from to-morrow afternoon, in stead of to-morrow afternoon, as first reported. Commissioner Smith . vs. The Standard Oil Company . MMitlHMIllllMltlMMIllMllMMiMlsssVMiisilislllllllilssMV . - From The Railway World, January 3,1908. AMUSEMENTS 1TF.MS nili KT,KIV, New Otnrr-m of th? National Rank nd thf Flkln FunilfMrc Compsny Mr. If. G. Chatham Xortli on ItnMncx-. Fpeclal to The ObsfMcr. I Klkin. Jan. 18. Mr. II. O. Chal- ham left Thursday evening for Haltl ni6re 'and New York on a -business trip in the inrsrest of his manufactur ing plants here ana at Winston-Sa lem. Mrs. O. T. Roth has returned from Allentown. Pa., where 'she was calVd a week ago by the sudden death of her father. Mr. Moscr. Mr. Q. M. Snow, who has been prominently connected with the Elkln Clothing Company here for the p-ast three years, has sold his In-'trest In the same and will again Join the large army of the" knights of the grip. At the annual meeting of the stock holders of the Klkin National Hang Wednesday the following officers were elected for this year: A. Chatham, president; H. G. Chatham, vice presi dent, and J. A. Chatham, cashier. The bank's business for the past year has been very satisfactory, and shows a steady Increase In deposits all the time. The Elkla Furniture Company elecN ed Mr. 8. M. Arnold president. Mr. 3. A. Gough vice -president and Mr. W. J. Bayle secretary and treasurer for this year. This company has in creased Its capital 15.000 and will do a much larger business this year. . "The Lion and the Mouse,", which Henry B. Harris will present in this city at the Atademy of Music Satur day, matinee and night. Is an Ameri can play essentially and conspicuous ly such and ba.ied upon a theme which hus not been before exploited dramati cally. It deuls directly wl.th a subject which at the present moment Is very much In the public mind the corrup tion of politics and legislation by the power of combined money-making or ganizations and the dominance of un scrupulous kings of finance. Ta Charles Klein, who wrote the play, and Henry H. Harris, who had foresight to appreciate the timeliness of It. , la due credit for undoubtedly one of the best dramas thai has hen seen In America In many years. The announcement of the production here lit causing much comment. The scut sale is announced for Thursday morn ing at Hawley's. one of mi piays means mai mucn money has o be spent Correspond ingly well known Is the name of "The County Chairman, the prominent New Yorte success which probably occupies the njad of the class to-day. So when It is announced that one of Ade's big gest successes. "The County Chair man," presented by one of the largest and best companies, la to be seen at the Academy of Musle next Monday night, the great importance of ih announcement can readily be realised. Further, theatre-goers should compre hend that one of the greatest dra matic treats of the season is coming their way and they should richly pre pare for if. COMPROM1SK AGKEKP OY, Suit Araut Standard Oil Company Settled For H750, 5.U)0 Having lleen Akrd For. f?p"!l im The Observer. Durham. Jan. 1. On damage suit that s set for trW rt the civil term of court tn convene Monday hns been settled. " This Is bj compromise Mr. Herbert Knox Smith, whose real 4n the causa of economic' reform has been lit no wise aba(cd by the panic which he and his kind did so much to bring on, is out wllh an answer to President Moffett, of the Standard Oil Company of Indiana.- The publication of this answer. It is i officially given out, was delayed several weeks. "for business reasons, because it was not deem ed advisable to further excite the public mind. ' which was profoundly disturbed by the crisis. Now that the storm clouds have rolled by.' how ever, the Commissioner rushes again Into the ! fray. " Our readers remember that the chief points In the defence of the Standard Oil Company as presented by President Moffett, were. (I) that the rate of six cents-on oil from Whiting to East St. Louis had been issued, to the Standard OH Company as the lawful rate by employes of the Alton, (2) that the 18-cant rate on file with the Interstate Commerce Commission . was a class and not a commodity rate, never nelng intended to arply to oil. (8) that oil was shipped In large quantities between Whiting and East St. Louis over the Chicago and Kistern Illinois at six and one-fourth cents per hundred pounds, .which'' has been filed with th3 Interstate Commerce Commission as the lawful rate, and (4) that the 18-cent rate on oil was entirely out of propor tion to lawful'rates on other commodities be tween these points of a similar character, and of greater value, such, for example, as Unseed oil. the lawful rate on -which was eight cents. Pres ident Moffett also stated that thousands of tons of freight had been sent by other shippers be tween these points under substantially the same conditions as governed the shipments of the Standard Oil Company. . , This defence of the Standard Oil Company waa widely quoted and has undoubtedly exerted a powerful Influence upon the public mind. Nat urally the Administration, which has staked the tip- The name of George Ade Is now known throughout Ihe length and breadth of America and Europe and 'success of Its campaign against the "trusts' bn the result of Its atta?tc upon this company, endeavors to offset this Influence, and hence the new deliverance of Commissioner Smith. .We need hardly to point out that hla rebuttal . argument Is extremely weak, although as strong, no doubt, as the circumstances -would -warrant. He answers the. points made by President Mof fet substantially as follows: (1) The Standard not been filed. C) ncr answer, (J) the Chicago and Eastern Illinois rate was a secret rate be cause It read, not from Whiting, but from Dol ton. which is described as "a village of about 1,600 population Just outside of Chicago. Its only claim to note la that It has been for many -years the point of origin for thla and similar secret rates." The Commissioner admits In de scribing this rats that there was a note at tached staling that the rate could also be used from Whiting. The press has quite ' generally hailed this) statement of the Commissioner of Corporations as a conclusive refutation of what la evidently recognized as the strong -wt rebuttal argument advanced by the Standard. In fact, it Is as weak and Inconclusive as the remainder of his argument. The lines) of tha Chicago and Eastern Illinois , do' not -run- Into Chicago. ' They terminate at Dolton, from which point entrance ie made over, the Belt Line. Whit ing, where the oil freight' originates, is not on s the. lines, of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois, which receives its Whiting freight from the Belt Line at Dolton. The fromer practice, nqw dls- , continued, in filing tariffs was to make ' them read from a point on the line of the filing road, and it was also general to state on the same sheet, that the tariff would apply to other points, e. g.. Whiting. The Chicago and Eastern Illinois followed this practice in filing ita . rate from Dolton, and making a note on the sheet that It applied to Whiting. This was in 1395 when this method of filing tariffs was in common use. Now let us see In what way the intending ' shipper of oil could be misled and deceived by the fact that the Chioigo and Kastern Illinois had not 'filed a rate reading from Whiting. Commissioner Smith contends that "concealment J" the only .motive for su;h a circuitous arrange ment," I. .i that this method of filing the rate was Intended to mislead intending competitors of the Standard Oil Company. . Suppose such a prospective oil refiner had applied to 'the Inter elate Commerce . Commission for the rate from Chicago to East St Louis over the Chicago and Eastern Illinois, he would have been informed that .the only rate : filed with the commission by ' this company was ( 1-4 cents -from Dolton, and he would have been furth?r Informed, if Indeed he did not know this already, that this rate ap plied throughout Chicago territory. , So that whether he wished to locate hla plant at Whit ing, or anywhere else about Chicago, under an arrangement of long standing, and which aplies to all the Industrial towns . in the neighborhood of Chicago, he could have his freight delivered over the Belt Line to the Chicago and Eastern Illinois at Dolton and transported to East St. Louis at a rate of ( 1-4 cents. Where then la ' the concealment which the Commissioner of Cor porations make so much oft Any rate from Dolton on the Eastern Illinois or Chappell on the Alton, or "Harvey on the Illinois Central, or Blue Istand on the KoJk Island, applies through out Chicago territory to shipments from "Whit ing, as to shipments from any other point In the district. So far from the Eastern Illinois filing Its rate from Dolton in order to deceive the shipper, it Is the Commissioner of Corpo- rations who either betrays his gross Ignorance of transportation customs in Chicago territory or relies on the public Ignorance of these customs . to deceive the public too apt to accept unques tlonlngly every statement made by a Govern ment official ss necessarily true, although, as in ' the present ' Instance. careful examination shows these statements to be false. The final point made by President Moffett that other commodities of a character similar to oil were carried at much lower rates than IS cents, the Commissioner of Corporations discusses only with the remark that "the reasonableness of this rate 1s not In question. The question is whether.this rate constituted a discrimination as against other7 shipperscf oiL" and ha also makes much of the fallareoT President Moffett t produce before the grand Jury evidence of the, allegedlllegal acts ef which the Standard Oil official said that other large shippers in the er- - - ritofy had been guilty. Considering .the fact that these shippers Included the rJackers and ' elevator men of Chlcagj the action of the grand Jury In calling upon President Moffett , to fur nish evidence of their wrong-doing may be Inter preted as a demandfor an elaboration of the obvious; but the fact that a rate-book contain ing these freight rates for other shippers was offered in evidence during the trial and ruled out by Judge Landls was kept out of sight. President Moffett would not, of course; accept the Invitation of the grand Jury, although he might have been pardoned If he had referred them to various official investigations by the Interstate Commerce Commission and other de partments of the Government. , We come back, therefore.' to the conclusion of . the whole matter, which is that the Standard OH Company of Indiana was fined an amount equal to seven or eight times the value of Its entire property, becauso Its traffic' department did not verify the statement , of the Alton rato clerk, that the six-cent commodity rate oh oil had been properly filed with the Interstate Com merce Commission. 1 There is no evidence, and none was Introduced at the trial, that any ship per of oil from Chicago territory had been Jnter-' fered with by -the elghteen-cent rate nor that the failure of the Alton to file its six-cent rate had resulted in any discrimination against any Independent shipper, wa must take this on the word of the Commlsslonar of Corporations and . of Judge Landls. Neither is it denied even by Mr. Smith that the "Independent" shipper of oil. whom he pictures as being driven out of business by this discrimination of the Alton, could have, shipped all the oil he desired to ship from Whit ing via Dolton over the lines of the Chicago and Eastern. Illinois to East St. Louis. In short. President Moffett's - defence Is still - good, and we predict will be so declared by the higher court. The Standard Oil Company has been charged with all manner of crimes and misdemeanors. Beginning with the famous Rice of Marietta, passing down to that apostle of higher liberty. Henry Demarest Lloyd, with his Wealth AgalT st the Commonwealth, descending by easy stages to Miss Tarbell'e offensive personalities, we finally reach the nether depths of unfair and baseless misrepresentation In the report of the Com mis- sioner of Corporations. The Standard hat been charged with every form of commercial piracy and with most of the crimes on the corporation calendar. After long yars of strenuous attack, under the leadership of the President of the United States, the corporation la at last dragged to the bar of Justice to answer for ita mis doings. The whole strength of the Government is directed against lt.anl at last, we are . told, the Standard Oil Company is to pay the penalty of its crimes, and It Is finally convicted of. hav ing failed to verify the statement of & rate clerk and is forthwith, fined a prodigious sum, meas ured by the car. Under the old criminal law, the theft of property worth more than a shilling was punishable by death. Unaer the interpreta tion of the Interstate Commerce law by Theo dore Roosevelt and Jud;e Kennesaw Landls. technical error of a traffic official Is made the excuse for the confiscation of a vast amount of property. ' " .
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 20, 1908, edition 1
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