Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1905-03-16
Greatest Potentate.

Unless Il is a case OF clouds without
rain, and storm without wind. and cy-
clone without any twister, the tempest
which is gathering about the great
Standard Oil octopus Is going to give
that many tentacled trust something
else to do in the near future besides
crushing out competition, forcing up
the price of OIL sucking in the profts'
and declaring the regular quarterly divi-
dend of IL per cent. to its greedy stock
holders.
A good many people are beginning to
think that the Standard is the key log
In the trust jam, which is dam
ming up the commercial, industrial
and financial streams Of the coun-
try. and destroying the individ-
ual rights of the common people. and
that if the dynamite of equitable law,
ard perfect publicity, can be touched
o.. under this key log. SO as to COM
pei it to yield to a reasonable ADJUST
ment and Just control, all the other
trust logs will float harmlessly down
the stream of the national life. and the
danger of unlawful combination will be
passed.
But however that may be. certain II
is that a war cloud of ominous proper
lions is arising upon the horizon OF
the Standard Oil company's sky. II
began to gather in Kansas. that home
of the cyclone, and has spread until
from Texas to New York and from
the Indian territory through the
prairie states of Illinois, Iowa and In
diana to the capital city on the Po-
tomac, the ominous mutterings OF the
coming storm have been heard. Had
the Standard only had to deal with the
situation in Kansas It would have
been the r,erest child's play. the most
amusing diversion, to have In time
crushed all opposition and forced the
people and the state into submission.
John d. Rockefeller has been laugh
ing I'D his sleeve and serenely waiting
Ii has amused him to read In the pa
pers that the Kansas Legislature had
appropriated $4,000 for the estab-
lishment of a state refinery to buck
against his $3.50, 100000 company. He
has been annoyed, perhaps, at the eff
fort to NEEDLE with his pipe lines, but
he has felt confident that the end
would come in victory for him and the
establishment of his company in the
state on firmer basis than ever before
He has mapped out a campaign OF
waiting. This great financier, this
$3.50 600, 900 money bags. can afford to
wait for his dollars work while he
sleeps. and he can keep busy banking
the $50, 900. 900 yearly income from his
investments while the poor Kansans
see their $4,000 refinery sink hole
into which to pour the wealth OF the
state and the independent producers
there brought to a state OF sub
mission where they will be willing to
make peace at Rockefeller's own
terms. and If reports are to be credited
Rockefeller's terms are never generous
except to the interests of Rockefeller
himself. He is never satisfied, 1t is
said. unless he can buy at ruinously
low prices and sell at figures which
tell the story of a fair 60 profit OF
several hundred per cent.
Kansas Fires the First Gun.
Kansas seems to be always doing
things which other states are afraid
to do, or never think of doing, and she
has fired the first gun in this ire
mendous war, and, as Lincolns call
TO arms in 81 was met by the cry
from the different states: I'VE are
coming. Father Abraham, 1OO,OOO
strong" SC the sound of Kansas first
shot at tie oil octopus has aroused
the natiaa. and on every hand, and
from unexpected directions, reinforce
ments ole coming TO the aid OF plucky
Kansas
The Government to Use Its Probe.
The most important Of all develop
ment. in this fight has been the action
of congress in ordering TIE department
of commerce and labor 10 begin In
vest cation of the business Of the
Stas lard Oil company. and as an evi-
.der;e of the thoroughness with which
Tie work will be done, the note OF
President Roosevelt to Mr.. James X
Garfield may be quoted. 1t is terse, ano
b1sinessIik4: Act vigorously on the
resolution at once" And II the way
ih which Mr.. Garheld's department
has handled the beef trust iuvestiga'
ton. and brought matters and condi'