The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1905-02-17
OIL REFINERY FOR KANSAS
HOUSE PASSES AND GOVERNOR
HoCH WILL SIGN BILL.
PRODUCERS ISSUE AN APPEAR
Send Telegram to President Roose'
welt Urging Federal Action to Curb
Standard--Ask That Foster Lease
BE Not Renewed.


BE Not Renewed.
Topeka. Kan, Feb. ia bill pro.
vidlng for the establishment OF
state oil refinery was passed by the
Kansas house OF representatives. by
vote OF 81 to 80, Governor lloch Will
sign the bill at once. Under It's pro.
visions refinery will be erected NJ
Peru, Kan. Another ponitentiary will
be built there to provide convict la
Dor for the refinery. An appropriation
or 100000 liz made for building and
maintaining the refinery and pcnitcn-
tiary. 1t is likely that tho validity of
the bill will be tested by the state
supreme court before IL goes into ef.
feet The bill calls Tor the issuance
OF bonds for the amount necessary to
build the refinery. State Auditor
Wells, II is announced, will refuse to
register the bonds called for In the
bill until the supreme court says they
are valid. There is some doubt ex-
pressed as to the COnstltutiOnalty Of
the bill and II Is to remove this that
the matter will be submitted TO the
court. 1t was on account OF the sup.
posed unconstitutionality OF the idea
that most of the opposition was en-
countered. Several of the house mem
bers in voting for the bill announced
they were doing so on account OF the
expressed wish OF their constituents,
and not in accordance with their own
desires. Seldom mas public sentI.
ment been SO thoroughly aroused in
the state as on the oil question About
twenty-five convicts will be necessary
to do the work in the refinery. Its ca
pacity is to be 1000 barrels a day.
Producers Appeal to President.
The Kansas Oil Producers assOCta-
ton sent the following Telegram to
President Roosevelt:
"The undersigned, representing the
oil producers of the state of Kansas
and speaking for the intelligent and
industrious people Of the state, and
yOicing the spirit OF American fair
play everywhere, appeal to you, and
through your secretary Of the interior,
and by you TO the congress of the
United States for help in the under
taking of the legislature of the state
to protect the oil industry of the
state from the oppression of the
Standard Oil trust. Because the legis.
lature presumes to exercise n natural
function Of government by legislating
for the welfare and protection of in.
dustries within the borders OF the
state against the oppression OF all
monopolies, and because the legisla-
ture proposes to try the experiment
OF public oil refinery, as a means OF
preserving and making profitable the
Oil industry, the general manager OF
the Standard Oil company has de-
clared boycott upon Kansas oil, and
one OF his subordinates has nsulted
our people by expressing in the pub.
lie prints groundless fear that they
will destroy the company's property.
Foster Lease a Menace.
we further represent to you a
menace to the crude oil market is a
continued ownership by the Standard
OIL company Of what is known as the
Foster lease" OF the Usage Indian
reservation. This reservation includes
100000 acres OF land, which con.
tains reservoir of petroleum so rich
that IL the STANDARD continues to own
and develop 1t that company will
nave a supply Of oil that will make 1t
Independent Of private production,
not only in the west, but all over the
United States. The lease Is nominal.
ly held by straw men" but II really is
In the grip OF the Standard Oil com.
pany, and the oil producers appeal to
the president, the secretary OF the in
terror and the congress to refuse the
Application now pending for its exten-
sion. 1t is too much for the govern
ment to give to the Standard Oil com
pany or its agents. an organization
which already Is so powerful that 1t
presumes TO be greater than the peo
pie or the government, whose courts
give it protection. The Kansas oil
field has been developed upon the
promise OF fair play and good prices
by the Standard Oil company, but
now that the supply is sufficient for
the needs OF the company, IT, as it has
done in other fields, has reduced the
price below a profit, and the men who
have invested their money will lose It
and the field will languish unless the
government, state and naTiOn refuses
TO confer upon the company additional
rights and franchises, and turns in
the other direction and legisates for
the people awhile"
Prairie oil Company Resumes Work.
Independence, Kan, Feb. 1.-THE
Prairie Oil and Gas company has is
sued orders for the resumption OF
work on its pipe line from Bartles-
vile to Cleveland, Okla, and men
have gone from here to take up the
work where it was discontinued Men
are also returning TO work at ths