Thirteenth Standard

There are 48 States in the Union but only twelve States in the roster of Standard Oil companies (California, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas).

It would seem that there would be room enough for 36 or 37 (counting the District of Columbia) more Standard Oils, but they are not needed, for many of the companies do business in several States. Yet last week the Standard Oil Co. of Rhode Island was made a corporate entity. Eagerly the financial world sniffed the wind--to see which of the Standard Oils had ventured to give birth to an ominous thirteenth. Strange was the disconcertedness at the discovery that none of the twelve appeared to know of their young namesake. In Providence, local counsel for the (old) Standard Oil protested at the christening but his objections were overruled by the state Secretary of State. Other Standard Oils are expected to seek an injunction forbidding the new company from using the word "Standard" with oil. Hitherto when more than one of the old companies has done business in a state, only the company first in the field has been allowed to brand its wares "Standard Oil."