The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-13

iutely indefensibIe, has acquired almost
absolute monopoly Of the oil business
OF this country, and, indeed, of the world.
no one objects to the prosperity of the
STANDARD OIL company or begrudges II
legitimate profits No one would lay a
straw IN the way Of its legitimate sue
cess in this state or elsewhere. But its
methods cannot be defended or tolerated
Dy a free people. A year ago 1t was
paying $1.30 barrel for crude oil and
for which it furnished the almost ex-
elusive market. Prompted by this
profitable price thousands Of people IN
vested their hard earnings in oil leases
and oil wells. Does any one believe
that this commercial cormorant was
losing money when it was paying that
pTice2 Having thus developed this
great field at the expense Of others this
greedy CORPORATION reduced the price
two-thirds and brought bankruptcy to
countless individuals and to many local
companies.
steal 100000 a Day.
'At this time the Kansas oil field is
yielding sixty thousand barrels day
an insignificant part of its capacity
and for this oil the Standard Oh com
pany, which sets the price, IS paying
less than one-third what it paid a year
ago. I believe it could pay 81 per bar
rel for this oil more than it is paying,
and still make large profit. IN other
words, 1t IS rObbing this people OF
POU5UtU d 0dys OF AAl44l4O4A AO@-e-A2 -
year. We look with horror upon a
railroad rObber who holds up train
and hlches from the passengers rev
paltry dollars, but sit suplnely down
while we are being robbed OF enough
money every daY by this one corpora
ton to build an hundred homes for the
| homeless, or to rear a great educatlon-
al institution, or to endoW a college, or
in one year to pay all the expenses OF
the state for five years.
''An effort to right this great wrong
by the establishment of state refinery
by the last legislature was character
lied by superficial thinkers as So
cialistic movement. Mr.. Toastmaster'
1 have been for years student OF an
| cient and modern, of philosophical and
historical socialism. and I have come
out Of this study profoundly convinced
that socialism is soporif1c Wnlch
would put the industrial world 70
sleep: that it would paralyZe personal
talents and dwarf the human race, and
that the competitive system, working
hardships as it does in many cases, IS
/ absolutely essential to individual ad-
! yancement and to national progress
but I am not to be blinded by the
/ prejudice of terms, and declare 70
! you that in my judgment the greatest
| propagandiSts of socialism on earth to-
/ day are not those who circulate It's
! literature and preach its fallacious doc
/ trineS, but they are the great corpora
/ ton eormOrants and trust magnaIes
who are exemplifying its doctrines IN
/ the name of competition. What would
| socialism do for the industrial world +!
! Briefly, it would destroy competition.
| What else does the great modern trust
/ do2 What competition IS there IN
railroad rates when the great COM
panies pool their issues and earnings
4 What competition was there in this
state in oils until the last legislature
made possible by its maximum frelghl
rate law and its anti-discrimination
/ law the blishment OF independent
refineries And may not pause here
to ask the patriotic people of this state
to give to these Independent rehnerles,
/ tn ese investors of individual capltai,
every possible encouragement?
Socialism May Come.
Mr.. Toastmaster and Gentlemen: am
! not an alarmist, am not pessimlst, L
am an optimist. I am not a wilmer for
| the good old days, but / say to you that
unless the American people can nnd some
reasonable and speedy solution of these
| great new industrial problems in Whlch
| the rights of the many can be main
tanned without infringing the rlg ms ot
the few, a tidal wave OF government
| ownership of practical socialism, will
| sweep over this country one OF THESE
| days and sweep US all OF our Teet. II
| will be a calamity if it comes, because
| an ideal condition is where the individual
has the largest possible place for ms
| talents and it will be a sad day for
| civilization when the individual is merged
| and swallowed up ins government, and
when the Indians ideal of government
is reaIized-the ideal of a great father
dispensing beads and beans and succo-
| tash to an incompetent people But
have faith in the Intelligence and cour-
age and patriotism of the American peo-
| pie They will be equal to this emerg-
| ency as they have been equal to all the
emergencies of the past. The honest
conservative and reasonable corporation
/ people, and the wise, far-seelng, incor-
ruptible statesmen of the land win ulti-
mately get together and solve these
problems in the mutual interest of al
and each alike.