Page:The History of the Standard Oil Company Vol 2.djvu/48

 water Pipe Company with that of the Standard Oil Company, desiring the Standard Oil Company to agree on a division of the business of transporting and refining oil, and to agree with the Tidewater Pipe Company in fixing the rate of transporting oil and the price of refined oils. These proposals were renewed to me by B. D. Benson during the summer of 1882, he coming to my office at his own instance and urging, by various arguments, such an arrangement. These proposals, in whatever shape made, have always been declined. This deponent has also had many interviews with James R. Keene, and always at his request, upon the same subject, in which interviews said Keene has earnestly urged such a combination and has used many arguments in favour of the advantage which would result from such a combination. These proposals have always been declined."

Naturally they were declined—the Standard was not seeking an alliance, it was seeking ownership of the Tidewater; and it expected so to discredit the company that it could buy in its stock for a song. Mr. Archbold's affidavit cooled popular sympathy for the hunted concern no little, however. A suggestion of any kind of a compromise with the Standard was looked upon as rank disloyalty by the Oil Regions, free competition in rates and in prices being, they contended, the only hope of the country. Mr. Archbold's affidavit must have something in it, everybody thought, though it might be, as Mr. Benson immediately swore, "grossly inaccurate."

Such was the character of the charges and countercharges in this purely technical case. The judge took little notice of them in his decision, but, after an exhaustive discussion of the points involved in the election, decided it was illegal and continued the injunction he had granted against the new board. Judge Church's decision aroused general exultation in the Oil Regions—as any failure of the Standard to get what it wanted was bound to do, and with good reason. The Tidewater's growth in the face of the Standard's constant interference with its business was proof that independent pipe-lines and independent refineries could be built up if men had sufficient brains and courage and patience. What one set of men had done, another could do. Their hope of restoring free-