The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-02-17
oKLAAoMA.s rRusr PRoeLEM.


oKLAaomA.s TRUST PROBLEM.
The trust rrotlen has COME home
to Oklahoiaa in very interesting
way and every day brings new ard in
to-esting dove opncnts. The standard
oil war on oklahoma. Indian Territory
and Kansas is now in fun swing ok
lahcma must rot only watch The hghi
in Kansas but see to her own inter
csts.
Perhaps tho richest oil fields in the
whole wes. ern district are in the
Usage nation and at Cleveland where
there Is every indication that import.
ant fields all over the territory can be
and vii he developed If they are not
retarded ny the STANDARD OF mono
poly
Since already the future Of Indian
Territory and Oklatoma are hlsepara-
bly, lmksa together and the iniagin-
ary llno that separated them quite
obliterated. the vast oil helts at Bart
lesvlle. Tulsa and the whole oil bet
pecouo mat. ers Of ranking import
auee TO every citizen Of Oklahoma.
The gist OF the proposition then lies
in che answer 10 the question. shall
The people OF Oklahoma benefit by
iheil vast natural resources in oil or.
sha1 they have but mere pittaace,
say FIVE r ten per cent. en- the value
cf crude oil. while the vast volume Of
profit rolls into the Golfers Of the
STANDARD OH company
The STANDARD now owns through
straw men the Foster blanke, lease
covering tho whole Of Usage nation
ane is rapidly acquiring control OF all
other oil lands. This it con 10 and.
easily. by putting down their price
Of crude Oh at its pleasure and freez-
ing out The producers, or compelling
them to accept for their oil whatever
pittanco thc grace Of the Standard
magnates may see TT to hestow.
The effect Of the recent order Of the
secretary Of the inte.'or that all
lessees OF oil lands in Indian Territory
should nut up $1,000 as a guarantee
Of good faith no matter how intended
by the secretary, is sure to have the
cfec. merely cf freezing ont smal.
producers ar prnspectors aad throwing
the whole situation perfectly at the
mercy Of The Standards millions,
The D ucxy stand Of the state Of
Kansas and The appropriation Of SiOo,
coo TO hull state oil refinery has
only scratchel tie back u the situa-
tion; but It has scratched it and
scratched It hard in the Standards
Ill sore spot. il there is one thing
above all others that the Standard
viii not tolerate it is competition. So
the war IS IN in Kansas.
The heht put mp ~ the Standard
lobby at Topeka shows that they ap-
procia.e tho danger in having a sover-
eien state for a competitor The only
weapon .hc company can use is tho
rover 20 reduce the price Of oil below
the price a. which the state can pro
duce it, hut IN doing this the people
of the state Get the advantage Of the
reduced price. and even II the state
refinery operates az very consider
able loss the peop'e get the advantage
of he redrctioa in the price Of oil and
this would amount TO much more an
.nually than the cost Of the entire
ate plant Il looks IKE Kansas had
the ! ,gic Of the situation aud stands
70 win II il loses
The folly Of any private corporation
or individual attempting 70 aeht the
big combine has been too of en- demon
strated TO admit Of Doubt TO meekly
submit and be robbed has been the
almost up.form coursc OF al oil men
since the hig company demonstrated
its power 10 crush
The state rs an orponeat aas This
advantage over the individual IN tnat
IL posseeses the xGvercign right OF emf
mont domain and The pnwer % make
laws. two tremendous powers when
welded wisely
Oklahonnns shaul study the lgh'
IN Kansas az military attach stud
les a battle knowing hat fhe terri.
tory has only these twc hogns Of INC
dilemma from which to choose, eithes
10 feht or stand and be robbed.
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