The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-20

Ex-Governor E. A. Burke of North
Dakota, but who now lives in Denver,
and H z. Ewart of North Carolina
have been in independence several
days. Tt is their purpose to look over
the field with a view of building either
one large refinery or several small
ones.
Il am satisfied that you Kansans
mean business said Governor Burke.
Il like the feeling that I see mani
tested here and have enjoyed the
meetings very much I am not prepared
to say what will be done about the
refinery proposition
Mr.. Ewart also expressed confidence
in Kansas. He said he was pleased
with the situation These two men
say that they represent southern
capital
Scott Says People Will Win.
Congressman Charles F. Scott who
attended the meeting said after he had
listened to the speeches and talked
to the oil men:
II don't believe the creature is
greater than the creator. 1 don't be-
lieve a corporation can permanently
set at defiance the states and the ma
ton to which it owes its existence 1t
follows therefore that I believe this
fight against the Standard Oil com
pany will win. The wisdom and the
wit of the many will prove in the end
to be more than a match for the cum
ming of the few. The principles I'M
are morally wrong, and nothing
which is morally wrong can finally
ssBut the fight viii not be won
right away. 1t will take years of
steady struggle. 1t seems to me there
fore that the first thing for the oil
producers to do is to bestir them
selves Immediately to find a market
this individually. each man for him
self. and collectively they ought to
enter into a hard and fast contract to
hold their oil for an independent pur-
chaser. If ten thousand barrels a day
can be pledged believe capital can
be found to build a pipe line to the
gulf. That, in my Judgment is the
ultimate solution of the problem so
far as Kansas is concerned. So far as
the country at large is concerned, l
think a law along the lines of the bill
I introduced in the last congress,
making pipe lines common carriers
and placing them under the control
of the interstate commerce commits
sion, will go far to solve the problem
The history of Standard OH SHOWS tnat
discriminatory freight rates IS the
weapon by which it has crushed com
petition. Take that weapon away and
its greatest offensive power is gone
What the People Say.
There is a general expression of con-
hdence among the oil men They know
that they have a hard fight but they
certainly expect TO Will ElGAG d ( q lew 1
expressions picked up hap-hazard IN
the hotel lobby after the meeting:
Senator E. F Porter Of Pittsburgh
all depends upon organization and judg- |
ing by the temper of the people be-
Iieve that they are going to win
believe the Standard is simply bluffing
about leaving Kansas.
L. H Perkins of Lawrence, a member
of the executive committee of the Oil
Producers association feel greatly
encouraged. I guess the Standard will
find out that the people of Kansas are
in this fight to win.
Senator Samuel Porter of Caney-The |
production of the oil district is very
large and the Standard can not take
care of all the oil. I don't believe that
the Standard intends to withdraw from
the field They simply have all the oil
they can use for the present and that
is all there is to it. They now have
5000 900 barrels of oil stored at Hum |
boldt, Caney and other places. When
they need oil they will buy it. The
establishment of independent rehneries |
is the solution of the problem that con-
fronts the oil men.
Senator Baker of Linn county@This !
looks to me like a big fight 1t is simply
a question of getting rid of the oil. This |
field produces more than enough oil to |
Mississippi river and we have to have
refine all the oil from the Kansas field
solution Of the question believe that /
we will get them, too.
]. A Kennedy OF the National Oil