BREAKING THE MONOPOLY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 June 1910, Page 6

BREAKING THE MONOPOLY.

OIL WAR IN MEXICO. DEATH STRUGGLE WITH A TRUST. LONDON, April 8. An oil war is progressing in Mexico Jjetween the interests of Mr Henry elay l.’itvrce and Sir* Westinau Rearson. Tire Standard Oil 'Trust operates in Mexico under tile name of the Waters Pierce Co., and until IVfessrs S, Pearson and Son entered into the oil business in that Republic tin Standard Oil Trust had everything its own way. The Pierce Company has now issued a booklet in defence of the '“Standard Oil Trust, and, corn meriting on this, the Petroleum World says 'Whatever we may think about the methods adopted by the Pearson interests (o win to per cent of the oil traih of Mexico —in oilier words, a full hall share of the Waters Pierce markets, — tiiere are few who will not be amazed at (he audaaily of the start of llieii enterprise. It is acknowledged everywhere that companies orgaiSised am. worked on tiro Standard (hi model made it a rule to encourage the enterprise of petroleum-producing undertakings. Here, then, was a concern of the True Standard o*i! type, urn owning refineries and distributing organisations competent to supply tin oil needs of the Republic, and it is no! on record that it has ever even dis coaragod, much less attempted to destroy, new concerns interested in the producing branch of (he business. Tin markets were its chief, and, indeed, its only care, and if these had not been attacked it would never have opposed the advent of a foreign enterprise into these oil Helds The industry as a whole is being damaged by the struggle and on the common basis of the good of all it would have been just as well if the Pearson rnterprisi had been limited to the production of oil, and the market as for refined left to those who created them." THE STANDARD Oil. TRUST. 'The Daily Chronicle takes the matter up, and, referring to this, it says: 'A more impudent, defence of tin monopolistic methods of (lie Standard Oil Trust could not be conceived. Tin markets, we tire told, wore (he Standard Trust*’s ’chief and, indeed, its only care,’ Although it was an alien corporation in Mexico itself, Messrs Pi arson's is referred to as ’a foreign enterprise.’ This means that, the Standard Oil Trust, is always prepared to buy oil from the oil producers at its own price, (u reline the product, and to sell it* to the world—also at its own juice.

THE .MEXICAN INDUSTRY "Until Messrs Woarson ajijieared in .Mexico the Standard Oil Uemijiany made no effort to develop the native industry. It is not its object, to in crease the oil wells of (he world, I*. imp vrted crude oil from (he United Stales, and when it could no.! ke> |i back the development, of (he oil industry :n Mexico any lunger it endeavoured to retain its monopoly of retiued oils and control the markets, 'its chief •indeed, its only-—care.’ Without ao*v internal knowledge of (lie jmsition in .Mexico one can gather from tl«s limitation, ajijiarent ly an inspired utterance, that the trust is being hard pressed bv (lie new opposition, and that in Inis Disc ’the common basi* of Dm good of all’ has not been reached- ’Die good of all’ being the good of the Standard (hi Trust only, the interest el the consumer is a factor which the great corrupting ami demoralising agency, which sI:P dumps its lew Hash oil into this country, never considers. "I tue of the results to be looked for ward to in 1 hr* coming development ot the oil-liehls in Mexico, in British colonies, awd in different parts of (he wot Id, is Dial, the Standard Oil 'I nisi will be inc-t by mere formidable compel item, and will be unable to maintain its |ires"til monojtoly.