Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-03-23
10 KEEP UP FIGHT.
OIL Producers Association to Raise
Funds for Contest.
WERE ADDRESSED BY GOV. HOcH.
Enthusiastic Meeting Followed by
Banquet at which Many Prom
ineAt Persons We're
Present.

independence, Kan, March TO-
More than 500 oil producers and 2,bO'
of their friends and sympathizers me
in convention here Saturday afternoon
The object of the convention was simp
" to serve notice on the STANDARD
Oil company that the Kansas producers
have enlisted for the "war" which
will last for the next two or three
years. After the convention, the ex
ecutive committee Of the OIL Producers
association met and decided to increase
the fund in their possession for the
continuation of the fight. The money
will be raised within the next two Oh
three weeks. The plan is to assess
each oil well in the six counties In the
field 81 a month. This will raise Q
fund large enough to be Of great use
to the independent producers
Gov. Hoch struck the popular chord
in this section of the state when he
saidathis afternoon that the state had
started this fight and would stay with
1t to the finish. He was applauded
loudly when he said that the entire
power of the state would be brought
to bear in the fight against the Stand
ard.
1--WE do not want to drive this COM
pany from the state" said the gov
ernor. 1--WE simply want fair treat
ment from>it."
The governor was followed by Sena-
tor F. Dumont Smith, Ida M. Tarbell,
Frank s. Monnett and Representative
P. P. Campbell, all of whom said that
the producers ought to make a fight
for their rights but that they ought
to spend their time trying to compete
with rather than abusing the Stand
ard.
The stage on which the speakers
stood was decorated with flags anil
banners. There we're three banners
strung across the stage behind the
speakers. The one to the extreme
left bore the phrase 80 the people
may know" The center banner con-
tanned these words: "A square deal"
IAN open competitive market" were
the words on the hamper to the. right
Of the stage. These sentiments ex-
pressed the feelings of the people who
attended the convention. For two
weeks, according TO the stories Of pro-
ducers, the agents Of the Standard
OIL company have been trying to Gre
ate dissension in the ranks OF the oil
producers and to prevent the success
Of the meeting. These agents have
been trying to make trouble between
the leaders Of the association and to
keep the attendance to day down to
a minimum. The inclement weather
was of material benefit to the knock
ers," but the crowd of 3,000people in
attendance was a surprise. The au-
dience to-day was comprised OF mem
bers who actually own oil wells and
who mean business in their fight
against the trust There was a serious
undertone to the convention. The del
egates evidently realized that the fight
that they have undertaken is not an
easy one. The news that the Standard
OIL company had decided to withdraw
from Kansas had tendency to sober
the enthusiasts in the fight. There
was a little cursing of the Standard
and much discussion Of the best meth
cd Of getting the Kansas oil, which the
Standard had refused to take, to an
other market. In addition to her let
ter declining to speak before the con-
vention, Miss Ida M. Tarbell said:
"You havea different fight in Kansas
from that of Pennsylvania and Ohio.
In this state you have with you the
governor and the legislature, while In
the eastern states the producers were
denied such assistance"
The convention was followed In the
evening by a banquet to 300 producers.
Senator W. s. Fitzpatric presided at
the banfuet and called for extempor-
aneous speeches from several oil pro-
ducers. Among the speakers were
Gov. Hoch, Congressman P. P. Camp
bell, Congressman Scott, Senator Por-
ter, of Caney, Senator Porter, Of Pitts
burg, w. B. Sutton, jr., Of Kansas
City and H. J. Ernest Of Independence.
Frank s. Monnett,o of Ohio, is to be re-
lieved as chief counsel and prosecutor
In the cases instituted against the
Santa Fe Railroad company and the
Prairie Oil and Gas company. Senator
Fred D. Smith and W. s. Fitzpatrick
have been retained by the oil producers
to carry on the legal fight against the
Standard. The executive committee
of the Kansas Oil Producers associ-
alton adopted resolutions expressing
their lack Of confidence in James R.
Garfeld's desire and ability to make
a proper and complete investigation
Of the Standard Oil company.
St. Petersburg, March 2O.-While
Emperor Nicholas, whose word is
final, still declines to abandon the