Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-02-23
homes OF THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE
Kansas OIL Producers Appeal to
President Roosevelt.

Topeka, Kan, Feb. 16.--The Kansai
OF Producers association has sent
the following telegram TO President
Roosevelt: 1.-THE undersigned, repre-
senting the oil producers Of the state
Of Kansas, and speaking for the In
telligent and Industrious people OF the
state, and voIcing the spirit Of Amert-
can fairplay everywhere, appeal to
you and 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 legislature pre-
sumes to exercise q natural function
Of government by legislating for the
welfare and protection Of industries
within the borders Of the state against
the oppression OF all monopolies; and
because the legislature proposes to try
the experiment Of public oil re-
flnery, as means Of preserving and
making profitable the oil industry, the
general manager Of the Standard OIL
company has declared boycott upon
Kansas oil and one Of his subordinates
has insulted our people by expressing
in the public prints a groundless fear
that they will destroy the company's
property.
I'VE further represent TO you that
a menace to the crude oil market Is a
continued ownership by the Standard
OIL company of which Is known as the
Foster lease of the Usage Indian res
ervation This reservation includes
1 $50, 900 acres of land, which contains
a reservoir Of petroleum so rich that
II the Standard continues to own and
develop 1t, that company will have
supply Of oil that will make 1t inde-
pendent Of private production, not
only In the west, but all over the
United States. The lease Is nominally
held by STRAW men," but 1t 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 extern
sion. It 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 1t protection.
1.-THE Kansas oil field has been de-
veloped 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 COM
pany, It, as It has done In other fields,
has reduced the price below profit
and the men who have invested their
money will lose 1t and the field will
languish, unless government, state and
nation refuses to confer upon the com
pany any additional rights and fran
chises and turns in the other direction
and leglslates for the people awhile"
II the Boycott orr
Independence, Kan, Feb. 16.-The
Prairie Oil G Gas company has issued
orders for the resumption of work on
It's pipe line from Bartlesvllle to Cleve-
land, Ok. Men are also returning to
work at the Caney tank farm, In this
It is understood the Standard
realizes Its mistake in starting q boy"
,oit and is preparing to quietly return
m WORK. ssome c. enc men VINO nave
been working Tor the state rsnhery
say the Standard is refusing to take
their oil, while they are taking their
neighboRs' oil. They tell them to get
me state to take care Of them.