Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-12
THE DRIVE WE'LL.
Address to the People of the State.

The time has come when to submit longer to
the extortions of the company controlling the
"drive-well' patent without using all legiti-
mate means of resistance ceases to be a vir-
tue" Our people are peaceable and law-abid-
ing citizens, and have no wish to ignore any
lawful and just demands upon them; nor
would the mere collection of a reasonable roy
atty upon the Green patent have caused hardly
a ripple on the surface of our everyday life,
but for the evident disposition of those con-
trolling this patent to take every possible ad-
vantage of the public sense of security in the
ownership of property that all had once paid
for, to impose upon fees and costs that are
at once needless and grievous to be borne.
In the general expectation that agents would
call upon them, in due time. or at least make
formal demand before entt ring suit, hundreds
of honest people with scanty means have been
sued, and aggravating costs and charges superad-
ded to royalty which, in itself is more than suf-
ficient to make the agents immensely rich at the
general expense. They have refused to receive
simply their original claims, with all legal costs
added, but have demanded aud are now de-
handing such an amount from each well owner
as shocks and outrages all sense of right and
justice, SO that their methods have well become
obnoxious to the charge of downright extortion
and robbery.
Under these circumstances, and with the
added force that recent evidence of driven
wells existing for many years before Green
claims to even have had conception of his
Idea" can give to our cause we appeal to that
sense of justice and that hatred of wrong
which are said to be innate in all mankind, for
aid by money and influence so far as each per-
son is able to contest the pretended claims of
the oppressors and to carry a case to the sal-
preme court of our country for final decision,
firmly believing that that high and impartial
tribunal will afford us protection, and reverse
the local decisions under cover of which our
communities are now being shorn and de-
spoiled in the interest of greedy sharpers.
+ We hope that local societies will be formed
everywhere, funds collected and forwarded at
once Tor within two weeks) to the secretary of
our State association at st. Paul, for deposit
with Horace Thompson, president First Ma
tional bank, who viii act as custodian of this
money. BY the rules of the association the
executive committee will have control of the
funds collected, and if not used for tho pur-
pose specified it will be returned to the donors.
Send remittances by draft or postoffice orders.
The executive committee is at present COM
posed of one member of each town or county
society now organized, and they viii meet for
business upon call of the president and secre-
tary when necessary. Each additional society
will be entitled to one member. Further de-
tails on application to Major Thos. p. Wilson,
president of the association, at ST. Paul, to l..
p. Fluke, secretary, Pennington, or to either
one OF the executive committee. The secre-
tary, Mr.. Fluke, will be in st. Paul during the
next four or five weeks attending to this bust
ness, and should be addressed there.
Per order of the Association.
j. w. EMERY, Pennington,
2. b. CLARK, Benson.
G.. O. BURT, Mankato,
Committee on Address.
Dec, q 1873