Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-12-11
CURRENT EVENTS.

When the Karns City discovery was
made the supply of crude seemed un'
limited, the price dropped from a. 90 to
40 cents barrel, and some of Buffers
rich men, who were "bulling" the
market at that time lost all they had.
Incidentally The First National Bank
of Butler, also, had its doors closed; and
John D. Rockefeller, who had obtained
control of the refining business, got the
start that has made him one of the
wealthiest men on earth.
The business of producing oil, like
any other. should be conducted on cor
rect principles, but at the same time the
striking of good wells is mere matter
of luck In this case the Devonian Co.
was drilling for the Specify, the Fourth
was known to be ''as dry as powder
within a stones throw of their first
gusher, and had thay been drilling for
coal and struck diamonds they could
not have heen more surprised. The
company was organized some months
ago. and drilled dozen dry holes be-
fore meeting with any luck whatever.
These strikes, however, will make them
rich.
Our exchanges from counties to the
East of us are reporting large sales OF
coal lands, at from $50 to $40 the acre.
for the coal alone The building of new
railroads is bringing the coal into the
market, and men with money are buy
ing the coal for speculative purposes.
We know of some farmers in the south
ern part of this county, who have re-
fused $50 and $40 an acre.
By the way, there is no present pros
pect that the operators and miners of
the anthracite region will arrive at an
understanding. The House of Repre-
sentatiyes has passed an appropriation
of fifty thousand dollars for defrayiug
the expenses of the commission and the
hearings are going on. 1t may be that
in the end some agreement can be had
which will be submitted to the investi-
gators, but the time is not yet.
The discovery of cholera or some such
similar disease among some herds of
swine in this neighborhood last
week caused quite sensation.
The disease is said to have been caused
by feeding the pigs hotel swill or refuse
"a most abomniable practice that some
of our farmers have fallen into to.
The daily papers lately reported the
discovery of the foot and mouth" dis
ease among some of the herds of cattle
in eastern Massachusetts, and a report
of the same spreading to this state
caused the Governor of Illinois to quar-
antine his state against cattle and sheep
from this state; most ridiculous order
as no cattle and sheep 60 West from
this state excepting for breeding pur-
poses.
At this moment there are number
of agents in England buying up fancy
cattle for breeding purposes in the
West, including Illinois. If that State
issues quarantine against the whole
Atlantic coast, how are these cattle to
get to their destination9 The fact that
the public lands are no longer available
in sufficient quantities for grazing has
led to the improvement Of breeds raised
on farms whence the future supply
must come. The Illinois quarantine is
blow at the West as well as the East.
1t is such fool orders as this that make
trouble here land get us into more
trouble abroad, particularly in Ger
many, where every excuse is being
made to keep out American meats The
letter of Governor Stone to Governor
Yates is statesmanlike document that
ought to go long ways toward repair
ing the wrong that has been done, but
it cannot do all.
The Republican press of the country,
as whele, commented favorably on the
Presidents message. His idea of 'let-
ting the blessed sunshine in" to the do
ipgs of large corporations, doing an in
terstate business, strikes a respondent
chord in the nation, and some twenty
bills on the subject have been introduce
ed in the House and Senate. .
The Judiciary committee Of the house
is forcing action on the Littlefeld bill,
the principal feature of which is public
ity. 1t provides that every organization
capitalized at over half million dollars
and doing an interstate business shall
file sworn statements once year with
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Accounts must be rendered of receipts,
expenditures, dividends and so on Not
only this, but the capital stock must be
given and the amounts paid in upon
each share, and it is proposed to levy a
tax of one per cent upon outstanding
stock not fully paid in cash or in pro-
perty. This requirement is aimed at
the water in corporations and is design
ed to stop speculation at the expense of
the innocent public.
In the Senate Senator Penrose's immi-
grafton bill was blocked by objections;
and Senator Quay is acting with the
Democrats on the statehood bill. The
Senate committee eliminated Arizona
and New Mexico from the bill and rec
commended that Oklahoma and the In
dian Territory be joined together and
admitted as one state. The population
would be eight hundred thousand, but
one-haf would be composed of Indians.
Nevertheless, it is proposed to allow
two additional representatives based up
on this Indian collection which is ridic
ulous
Both the German reichstag and the
French chamber of deputies have been
the scenes of turmoil lately, compared
with which the 'spat" in our court
room, last Saturday, was mere dog
fight; but when the antitrust bills get
into the U. S. Senate the fight the attor.
neys-in-fact of the great corporations
will put up against them will be worth
seeing. If President Roosevelt wants
to crown his administration with an ev.
erlastlng halo of glory let him, if he
can. bring about the election of Presi
dent and u. S. Senator'S by the popular
vote.