The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-09
HETHER true or not the reports
 of startling disclosures in the Beaumont oil fields reveal the

AVV Of startling disclosures in the
 w Beaumont oil fields reveal the extent to which a powerful corporation will go in order to crush competition. According to special dispatches a stupend- ous conspiracy of Standard OH interests against the Texas wells has been un- earthed by detectives. The sea water that has ruined so many valuable gushers during the past year or two is now alleged by some people to have been pumped into the oil field from the gulf through the Standard Oil companys pipe lines. As soon as a company was driven to the wall it was immediately bought out by the trust. Minor capitalists who have lost heavily in oil speculation are now con- ducting a series of investigations which they believe will bring to light an enormous fraud perpetrated against them. The reports state that the trusts pipe line was laid bare between the pumping sta- ton and Spindletop. When 1t was tapped a stream of salt water gushed nearly 100 feet into the air. The Standard Oil com pany has been the subject of many bit ter attacks but if these stories from Texas are true they give startling example of the power exerted by certain. class of concerns as we'll as the maneuvers they will adopt when in desperate straits.
 King Peter has gathered enough cour- age to return to Belgrade and love feast among the army factions is reported to be the next thing in order. Rumors of con-
 
 tinue to leak out, but 1t really seems that matters are becoming more settled in that troubled state and there Is now a possi- bility that the new ruler will be per- mitted to wear his i'll gotten crown for a time at least without having his head topped off by his enthusiastic subjects With the Balkan troubles ant the tactics Congo and the British war scandals the Old World is demonstrating that it has not yet shaken off its primitive fashions of an earlier age.
 A Baltimore paper advises young men to break Into politics with the least pos- sible delay after reaching that age when the years of discretion are supposed to begin. Heretofore we have been accus- toned to hearing young men implored to do just the opposite. As a result of the labors of the cartoonist, the yellow journal and the Investigating committee many people have come to the conclusion that politics is the last thing to recom- ment to callow youth who has not yet had time to realize the seductive uuali- ties of boodling. Of course if young man contemplates practicing law he will hardly be able to remain uncontaminated, even if he never succeeds in winning office. In spite of the mortified protests of proper persons who cannot be con- vinced that all public men are not rascals -or even the great majority of them-it running for office Is sometimes lucrative
 Pope Plus K has wisely refrained from appointing new state secretary until he gains a thorough knowledge of the duties he will have to perform in the vatican. To judge from the multiple labors of Pope Leo the position of pontiff Is no sinecure The routine work is voluminous without taking into consideration the cares of state that weigh upon so important per- sonage in the worlds affairs as the pope. It is predicted that the new secretary will be an Italian, but just who will get the appointment is a question. In the meantime the officials of the late popes household retain their places and will all