The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-17
PRODUCERS PLEASED.
commissioners Speech Enjoyed
by Kansas Oil Men.
Five Points Presented for a
Special Investigation.

Chanute, Kan, April 17.-If Mr. Gar
field does not make a success of the in
vestigation into the methods of the
Standard Oil company it viii not be his
fault His little talk at the meeting Of
the Chanute Oil Producers association
Saturday night turned the feeling here
in his favor. The private conversations
he has had with the officers of the as
ISOLATION and others have also given the
oil men an entirely different opinion
both Of Mr.. Garfield and the character
Of the investigation that they had pre-
Viously.
The refining values of various grades
OF oil, especially the oil under 80 de-
grees gravity, which the Standard is re-
1uslng to buy on the ground that it is
unfit for refining, are being gone into.
An affidavit made by 6. H. Seager,
manager Of the Humboldt refinery, as
10 the refining value of oil of the gray
ity OF q PIE, shows the following re-
suit: Gasolines, 3 per cent; water white
oils, So per cent; light lubricating oils,
20 per cent; heavy lubricatng oils. 10
per cent; cylinder oils, s per cent; as
phaltum, Is per cent; total OF 81 per
cent, showing ) per cent Of loss. Tests
Of oils as low as 20 per cent gravity VIII
be submitted the commissioner.
Standards Damaging Letter.
A letter received from the general
sales agency of the Standard at Kansas
City. by C. P. Wilder, also will go in
evidence. Wilder has been buying the
highest grade of eastern oil, from the
Standard, and in February when he or
dered a barrel he received a letter from
the Standard saying that the company
was making much better grade out of
Kansas oil. The original of this letter
viii be given to Mr. Garfield.
GarfeId's Plans.
Mr.. Garfield said Sunday that he
would remain here Monday
least, and probably longer. He viii
make trips to the various places in the
field, Independence, COfeyViue, Cherry
vale, Peru, Sedan and the towns in the
territory, going down in the morning
and returning at night. Independence
viii require more attention than any Of
the other towns as the general offices
OF the Prairie Oil and Gas company, the
Kansas branch of the Standard, are 10
-eated there. Mr.. Garfield has received
an invitation from the officers of the
Prairie to go over its books and they
have assured him they viii facilitate
the inquiry in every way. Mr.. Garfield
viii examine President Allen Of the
Chanute OIL Producers association;
Foster Z. Allen, manager for I. n.
Knapp, and perhaps j. H. Crawford and
w. Z. COnnelley, members Of the adj
Vfsory board of the Kansas Oil Pro
ducers' association today.
Congressman p. H. Campbell arrived
last evening for consultation with
Commissioner OF Commerce Garfield.
Mr.. Campbell is very well pleased with
the outlook at this time and is proving
of much assistance to the commissioner
in the present investigation. The com
missioner passed Sunday quietly, at
tending church in the morning with an
old friend Of his father, John w Mar
tin. a lumberman of this city, who used
TO attend the same church as President
Garfield. In the afternoon Mr.. Garfield
was taken for a drive over part Of the
oil fields.
Reception and Speech.
Mr.. Garfield had his first public re-
ceptiOn in Kansas and made his first
reception was held in the rooms of the
Chanute Oil Producers association M
Garfield was introduced to the crowd
by w. c. Allen, president of the associ-
alton. Mr.. Garfield said:
1--WE are after the facts. Our inten-
ton is to examine into the situation
from all sides. The government has no
enemies and no prejudices. All that is
aimed at in this investigation is to as
certain the underlying facts. The Amer
lean people all believe in fair play and
square deal That is the policy on
which the investigation is being con
Quoted. This investigation viii be very
thorough and the only way to secure
that result is to understand conditions
from the ground up. Similar oil condi-
tons prevail in other parts of the Kan
sas and Territory fields That is they
are similar in their general outlines but
ia some respects they are widely di-
vergent California, for instance. has
some conditions similar to the Kansas
situation and we are investigating mat
tiers there on the same plan as the in
Vestigation here.
such an investigation as we are
conducting requires an enormous
amount of painstaking work and we
need the hearty cooperation of the men
engaged i'm the oil business to secure
the best results. Our work is going tn
be done as rapidly as possible. but thor
oughness always viii be the prime con
sideration and I can promise you that
Wnen we do get the facts and they are
submitted to the president there will be
no delay in giving them to the public