The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-08

and deceiving- The question has never
/. been before the people and the repre-
sentatives viii have to act on their own
judgment, with such advice from con-
Standard Oil will pay salaries and ex-
penSeS to prominent citizens with in
fiuence and will work systematically to
represent public sentiment their way.
would be glad to hear from anyone in
Reno county, regardless of politics, as
to what they think should be done on
this question, remembering that when
you have the interests of the people
on one side and the Standard Oil lobby
on the other, it isn't fair to compro-
mise unless you are beaten
Cherryvale News: For Heavens sake
what did the committee, selected by
Representative Holdren from Cherry
vale to go to Topeka to influence gas
legislation, last week, DO while at the
capital city? Before the sojourn of
this committee, Governor Hoch was en-
Enthusiastically in favor of a state re-
finery; Speaker Stubs stood beside the
doughty governor with his sleeves roll
ed up and blood in his eye just daring
the Standard Oil company to come on;
senators and representatives were pa
rading before the octopus inviting them
to just knock the chip off their Shout
derS and the old walIeyed octopus was
shopping around like a poor boy at a
country corn husking, friendless and
of the visit of the CherryvaIe delegation
the Kansas legislature was just itch
ing to get its hooks into the tentdculum
of air octopus. From all accounts it
was only a question of a few days when
the hair, hide and bones of the Stan
dard Oil company and the Kansas Nat
ufal Gas company would be scattered
all over the state; when the charge of
nitro had been planted under the Of
fensors of the people, would be set off
by the governor and his legislature
that would forever obliterate the en-
envy. Thus the political and industrial
sky presented lurid appearance. Great
thunderheadS doomed up and here and
there across the horizon flashed ever
and anon liquid flames that plainly
foretold the coming of the monster
storm Then one day the Cherryvale
delegation headed by the mighty war
rior Purcell appeared on the scene-and
the stuff was off. No sooner did the
man with the mighty pen show his
face in the legislative halls, than the
thunder-heads began to recend, the
deep toned thunder dwindle to a piteous
and circumcised sort of a moan and the
lightning's flash resembled &. fire fly The
Cherryvale committee with its hoodoo
leader, did it. The next day Governor
Hoch came out against the state re-
finery, Speaker Stubs had rolled down
his sleeves and senators and represen-
tatives were shaking tentacles with the
octopus Now in the name of gaWd
Echo answers what.
trhanute Sun: The Irvine plant is at
the penitentfary and the oil refinery
should be there also. There every
thing for it's accommodation is already
provided. 1t could be constructed and
operated by the conyicts under the
management of the prison. officials.
The expense of any additional assist
ance would be small
This kind of talk is not directly in
the interests of the oil belt, perhaps,
but the refinery project is a state af-
fair and should not be viewed from
the standpoint of local Or selfish inter-
ests. In view of the fact that the tax
payers of the state must put up and
look pleasant in any event, the ques-
ton of sensible economy. reasonable
success and best results are most i'm
pcrtant.
The proposition to invest 100000 of
state funds. raised by an additional tax
levy, in a doubtful business venture al
Peru needs careful examination by the