The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-07
HOCH WRITES OF 1T.
Kansas Governor Tells OF Struggle
With Standard Oil.

The first of the magazine articles
on the Kansas Standard Oil contro-
versy appears in the current number
of the Independent and is by no less
a person than Governor E. w. HOch.
It is under the title, kansas and the
Standard Oil Company Introduce
tory to the article the editor of the
Independent gives a brief sketch of
Governor Iochs closing with this
sentence:
Already it is said that he viii be
the candidate of the Republicans of
Kansas for the presidential nomina-
ton in 190S-''
Governor Hoch takes a decided
stand in favor of the state refinery
method of mbating the oil trust.
He advises other states to follow the
example of Kansas, not for the pur-
pose of sitting competition but to give
competition footing Among other
things he says:
1.-The action of Congressman Camp
bell in asking an investigation of
Standard Oil and the very favorable
attitude of congress and of President
Roosevelt toward this investigation
are very timely The sooner legis-
lative and judicial remedies are ap-
piled the better. Because, first, more
than average good business conditions
are upon us and the country is pros
is yet reasonable No money strin-
gency or industrial depression threat
ems. There is no tendency to a frenzy
among the people. 1t is the great con-
now, after elaboration, asks a re-
dress of grievances. No. denial or
equivocation will suffice for reply
This body Of citizens will know
whether they have been answered in
sincerity and with justice. The
greatest play of politics and the great
est wisdom that can now occur will
be to give the great American con-
n
honest reply from the places of re-
spected authority. The present senti-
ment is not for punishment, but for
protection. The sentiment now is for
A continuance of parley and equivoca-
ton will carry the people beyond the
desire for protection only Second,
the power of the Standard Oil COM
pany increases at an alarming rate
simultaneously with the recent petu-
liant and arbitrary order to withdraw
Standard patronage from Kansas
fields came an announcement of the
quarterly dividend of fifteen per cent
to Standard stockholders. From
forty to sixty per cent annually have
been the recent dividends of this great
com pany- Large profits in themselves
are not cause for condemnation. But
when these profits are secured by the
throttling of competition. in a word,
by the absolute monopoly of the field
of business, they are not only subject
to condemnation. but are a. subject for
immediate legislation Taking into
account all the unused properties and
the endless amount and variety of ex-
pense of this great corporation, a
dividend of forty to sixty per cent is
simply extortion of the people. 1t is
exploitation of the many for the bene-
fit of the few. If these conditions
continues the protests of the people
will constitute a cumulative force the
release of which will sooner or later
be an uDheaval 1t is for their own
ell fOr- he in
good that moneyed interests of the
Standard Oil class should submit to
what is just and right
'I am more than ever convinced of
the wisdom of the plan of state re-
fneries as a means of combating the
hurtful tendency of Standard Oil in
vasion. I have the utmost faith in
the success of the experiment in our
state, and if our expectations here are
met, this becomes the national rem
edy. Since signing the state refinery
bill am in receipt of a flood of tele-
grams, some congratulatory. some ask
ing for information concerning the
state refinery movement. These mes
sages come from companies and from
private individuals alike. They denote
the widespread monopOlistic influence
of the Standard Oil company as we'll
as the universal welcome which meas
ureS of relief will receive. These mes
sages come in greater or less number
all the way from Pennsylvania to
California In my judgment state
which has the oil industry to protect
within its own borders should not hest
tate to take immediate action of some
definite sort looking to close state con-
troll of the business. If a half dozen
states can start legislation similar to
the action Kansas has taken in the
past ten days it will become a most
effective check on the greed and ra-
pacity of this giant of trusts It seems
an especially opportune times for leg
islators to listen to the voice of their
If it is said that the
question is too new, that legislatures /
have had only a short time to con- |
slider the control of these great cor !
porations answer that the people |
have watched and studied the situa-
ton for at least ten years in Kansas,
and that in other districts it is a mat |
ter of twenty-five years of observation
and study. If legislatures will listen to |
the people they will find them unit in