The daily sentinel., 1905-02-16
KANSAS LEGISLATURE
AFTER OIL "OCTOPUS''

Topeka, Kan. Feb. 16.-C CSpeclal)
A bill providing for the establish
ment of state oil refinery passed
the Kansas house of representatives
yesterday by vote of 81 to 30.
Governor Hoch will sign the bill
at once. Under its provisions. re-
finery will be located at Peru. Kan.
Another penitentiary will be built
there to provide convict labor for the
refinery.
An appropriation of $4,000 is
made for building the refinery and
penitentiary. This ends one of the
most bitter fights ever before a Kan
sas Legislature.
The Standard Oil Company and the
railroads have maintained strong lob
bies here vainly trying to defeat the
bill.
The Kansas Oil Producers Asso-
citation yesterday sent the following
telegram to President Roosevelt:
ITO President Roosevelt, Wash
ington;
THE undersigned, representing
the oil producers of the state of Kan
sas, and speaking for the intelligent
and industrious people of the state,
and voicing the spirit of American
fair play everywhere, appeal to you
and through your secretary of the in
terror and by you to the congress of
the United States for help in the un-
dertaking of the legislature of the
the state from the oppression of the
Standard Oil trust.
Because the legislature presumes
to exercise a natural function of gov
ernment by iegislating for the well
fare and protection of the industries
within the. borders of the state
against the oppression of all monop-
olies; and because the Legislature
proposes to try the experiment of
public oil refinery as a means of pre-
serving and making profitable the
oil industry, the general manager of
the Standard Oil Company has de
clared a boycott upon Kansas oil, and
one of his subordinates has insult
ed our people by expressing in the
public prints a groundless fear that
they will destroy the company S
property.
1--WE further represent to you that
a menace to the crude oil market is
continued ownership by the Stand
ard Oil Company of what is known
as the Foster lease of the Usage In
dian reservation.
This reservation includes one and
one-half million acres of land, which
contains a reservoir of petroleum so
rich that if the Standard company
continues to own and develop it, that
company will have supply of oil
that will make it independent of pri-
vate production, not only in the west
but all over the United States.
THE lease is nominally held by
straw men,, but it really is in the
| grip of the Standard Oil Company
and the oil producers appeal to the
| president, the secretary of the inter-
| iOr ana the COHsEtSS ~ 1 itAN9N N
application now pending for its eX-
tension. 1t is too much for the gov
ernment to give to the Standard OIL
Company, or its agents, company
which is already 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 de-
veloped upon the promise OF tair
play and good prices by the Standard
Ion Company. but now that the sup
L ply is sufficient for the needs OF the
i 1company. it. as it has done in other
Elfields, has reduced the price below
a profit, and the men who have IN,
vested their money will lose it and
the field will languish unless govern
lmant, state and nation. refuses 70
tconfer on the company additional
rights and franchises and turns III