The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-01-30
NOT VOTES
ENOUGH TO
SUPPORT 1T
Legislators Think They
See Hand of the
Trust.
:, ALL HEADQUARTERS. sACRA-


II MENTO. Jan. 29.-The hand that
" the Standard Oil Company has
~ reached to clutch the oil industry
of California has fallen short Of
its prey and the pernicious bill that con-
tanned within its hand the dagger that
was to slsy the oil producers of the State
viii never become law. The majority
of the legislators are openly against it
and if there were any who hoped to OBJ
tain some dishonest coin by supporting
it they have been frightened into aband-
oning their intent by the exposure that
has been made of the purposes of the
measure.
Both the legislators who introduced the
bill repudiate and refuse to assume re-
sponsibility for the measure. Assembly
man Duryea, who has just returned from
a trip OF inspection with one of his COM
mittees said tonight that he was in no
way responsible for the bill and would
not have introduced it had he known
there was anything wrong about it,
Il don't know the first thing about the
BILL said Duryea. 1T was given me
by Deane, who had handed it to Senator
RalstOn TO introduce in the upper house,
with request that / Introduce it in the
Assembly / never studied the bill and
did not know what its effects would be.
OF course L shall not support it if it
threatens injury to the producer and is
designed to throw the industry into the
hands OF the monopoly. Deane did not
explain the bill TO me and l am utterly
unfamiliar with oil what is reasonable
in the way of fash test.
The harpies of politics who fattened on
Doodle when the railroad was the deepest
in the mire of politics are hailing the
advent of a new mine to work.
"All hail Standard Oil is their cry.
The seeming advent into California pol
itics of this great corporation. which has
poured out its gold to influence men and
measures in other parts or the Union,
gives a promise to the practical politicians
of a new era of prosperity TO them. This
fact is making honest legislators all the
more determined to throttle the first
seeming attempt of the monopoly at cor
rupting legislation in this State.
There is talk here of a mysterious agent
who appeared in Sacramento early in the
week and lived for two days at the SUIT
ter Club. 1t is said he came here in
the interests of the oil bill. The advent
of this stranger. who. the story goes,
was an Eastern man. gave rise TO rumors
of sack. but no one seemed able to
get a line on the alleged treasure.
The stranger disappeared with the same
secrecy that he came. He had few
quiet conferences in the interests of the
oil bill. it is said, and the practical pol
iticians here appointed a standing com
mittee TO hold sessions at the depot and
watch for his return.
The iniduitOus features of the oil bill
have been so thoroughly ventilated that
il will be defeated in the Senate or only
get through with amendments multiplying
its pernicious feature. The Assembly viii
defeat ii Overwhelmingly. as shown by
snap poll Of the members
Senator Ralston tonight Indignantly
denied a rUmor that he was going to
withdraw the oil test fash bill. He says
the matter has gone too far for him to
recede and that II would be the last
thing he would think of. even Were he
asked to do so ey DR.. c. T Deane, sec
rotary of the California Petroleum Min
ers' Association, who sent the bill to him.
In speaking about the matter tonight
Ralston said:
No | don't propose to withdraw the measure.
II has been referred 70 the committee on mines
and will undoubtedly be amended me com
nfttee viii prepare and recommend a substi-
tute bin. never said 1 was in favor Of the
bill / introduced. but ! do believe there shoulu
he some regulation ON oil. / have received
letters from Fire Marshal Towe Professor
O'NeiI Of Berkeley and Mr.. Hunt of the In
Francisco that they win attend the meeting
Of the committee next Monday night.
A leading member of the California Pc
troleum Miners Association, who passed
through here tonight on his way to San
Francisco, stated he was going there for
the purpose Of demanding that he presi-
dent of the association call a meeting TO
discuss the Ralston bill. He said meet
ing of the association must be held to-
morrow. and if its members are opposed
10 the measure he wants the entire State