The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-07

parts of the state, and we hope it
viii become a law. There is every
against it-that it is too socialistic.
Nearly every other means of fighting
trusts has been tried, and we see no
reason why this one should not be
used
Sharon Springs Times: The Stand
ard has again reduced the price of
crude oil in Kansas. The Standard
seems determined to hold our Kansas
oil magnates down a bit.
Smith County Pioneer: Rockefel-
Ter has dropped the price of refined
in Kansas. We hope this leaves John
little profit. Bad time of year to
go broke.
salina Journal: The appropriation
of $4,000 for a state oil refinery, as
proposed by Governor Hoch and
Speaker Stubs. is equivalent to no
oil refinery. The only purpose the
$4,000 could serve would be to draw
some interest from the Topeka banks
while it was being held for another
legislature to appropriate more. And
who would get the interest?
FL Dorado Republican: Any form
Of government which does not or viii
not protect its citizens from being held
up and robbed by the buzzards, wolves
or hyenas which infest the land; any
government that is too weak, too cor
rupt. too cowardly to go up against
the robber trusts or combines, the in
dividual and corporation hogs, that
stead and rob and plumber the people,
is not fit to exist. The American peo-
pie are long suffering. They have had
Ialth that the congress would do
something. They have trusted in the
courts; but practically nothing is be-
ing done. Every member of congress.
every Judge of every court knows that
Ing
every farm, every StOrehouse, every
grain elevator, every back kitchen in
the land. every day and every hour
of the day. and vet no concerted
In the meantime. how much longer
are the people going to stand these
rObbings and plunderings? God
Almighty will punish the people of
do something. The country rOared a
few years ago when a handful of
men embarked in the business of loot
ing the country Of a few hundred mil
lion dollars. Today ten thousand
men, or mbinations, are robbing the
people of billions; and the abSor bling
question is, Why doesn't somebody do
something? Standard Oil is after
Kansas. It seems as though there
ought to be some way to prevent this
greatest of all buzzards from looting
southeast Kansas. But the legislature
VIII adjourn IN a few days and then
the oil trust will have full swing.
Can't somebody point out some way
for the state to protect itself from this
looting2 Southeast Kansas is aroused
and an army of men is expected here
this week to try to suggest some way
out The legislature seems willing to
go to the limit. if convinced that go
ing there will beat Standard Oil. But
then there are the courts with their
technical decisions. theirs DELAYS
their diIlydalIyings. If the people will
rise up and ride Standard Oil out of
the state on a rail, this public plum
dering will stay. Let the war begin.
Salina Union: Kansas will not be
in better shape to squander, if such it
should prove, a few thousand dollars
IN experimenting than she is today,
and no better cause could be found
for the investment of the money than
in an attempt to establish a state oil
refinery
It seems to be the unquestioned
sentiment of the state that such an
effort be made; we've got the oil,
we've got the men, and we've got the
money, too. There are a few men at
Topeka who are in a position to block
this experiment. and it is a question
whether or not they are at liberty to
disregard the sentiment of the, voters
of the state simply because it is con-
trary to their ideas of what is and
what is not practical.
With the oil proposition Kansas is
working under the head of new bust
better go down in defeat in an effort
to put a double erimp in the Standard
Oil company rather than sit supinely
down and fold her hands simply be-
cause she has no precedent for an adj
vance step.
Smith County Journal: Webb McNau
came up from Gaylord last Saturday
evening and boarded the night train for
Topeka where he mixes up with the
politicians and oil magnates. He is de-
cidedly in favor of the state taking up
the oil matter and erecting a refinery
not because he is interested in several
oil enterprises, but because it will prove
a great benefit to the whole people of
the state according to his way of figur-
ing He does not believe it win be any
great benefit to the producers of crude |
oil, but the plan is along the right line
to protect the people against the grasp
ing methods of the oil trust Webb SAYS
the Republican legislature will pass the |
law.
Smith County Journals: The latest !
move of the Standard Oil company is !
to reduce the price of crude oil two /
cents per barrel again this week Since |
last December the price paid to the |
producers of oil has been constantly /
lowered until at present the price hard /
~ pays for the pumping. The assur- !
ance is merely given out that the pres
ent Republican legislature will do moth |
ing which can in any way interfere |
with the plans of the oil trust in the