Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 142, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1903 — WON’T REVEAL ITS SECRET. [ARTICLE]

WON’T REVEAL ITS SECRET.

Standard Oil Trust Defies Department of Commerce and Labor. The Standard Oil tompany has refused to answer a list of perfunctory questions propounded to it by Commissioner James A. Garfield of the bureau of corporations in the Department of Commerce and Labor, and, ns a result, an issue lias been raised between the department and the company, which, if it goes into the courts,' trill determine for all time what power the department has to regulate the trusts. The attitude of the company is said to have been taken deliberately fqr the purpose of testing the power of the department. As a part of the organization of the Department of Commerce, commissioner sent out a list of questions to all the so-called trusts in the country covering their capitalization and other financial items.' Ail of the trusts replied to the commissioner save the Standard Oil Company, which refused to answer any questions. Information of the attitude of the company has been conveyed to high officials of the government, including the President, and it is believed that Commissioner Garfield will tnke legal means to compel the company to answer. He may call upon John D. Rockefeller to furnish the desired information, and, in the event of formal refusal, the case will be taken into United States District Court and an order sought to compel the company to answer the question. Upon the decision in this case will hinge the future policy of the new department