Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-16
RESPONSE TO HOUSE REQUEST.
Inquiry Will be Pressed as Rapidly as
Possible and the Scope Will
BE Wide,
GOV. HOCH AND The KANSAS BILL
Declines to Say Whether or Not He
viii Sign One Creating a State
Oil Refinery

Washington, Feb. l6.-.President
Roosevelt has directed James r, Gar
field, commissioner OF corporations of
the department Of commerce and la
Dor, TO begin Immediately the oil in
vestlgation requested by tho house OF
representatives yesterday I'm a resolu-
ton adopted unanimously. The inves-
tIgation by direction Of the president
viii be regarded comprehensive. The
president has directed a letter to Com
missioner Garfield IN which he has
given his directions and presented IN
outline his views.
The inquiry will be pressed as rap
idly az possible, The scope OF the in
yestigation and the time II will occu-
Ply cannot be indicated at this time.
Representatives Campbell Of Kansas,
the author Of the resolution adopted by
the house had a conference with Presi-
dent Roosevelt today, Mr. Campbell's
idea is that the investigation should
concern particularly the situation In
the Kansas field. but he expressed TO
the president his belief that the in
Quiry once begun would extend to the
operations Of the Standard OH company
in the Beaumont field Of Texas and per-
haps to other fields.
KANSAS OIL REFINING BILL.
Topeka, Kan. Feb, 16.--Gov, Hoch
declines TO say whether or not he will
sign the bill providing for the erection
by the state OF an oil refinery, passed
by the house yesterday. The governor
and his friends hoped, it is said, to de-
feat the measure, but the fact that the
| house passed it by such an over
whelming majority will, It is believed,
deter him from yetolng IT,
The two bills passed by the house
yesterday effect not only the oil trust
so called, but other combines. The
freight rate bill passed makes the rail-
roads n common carrier, and In this
way the oil trust as well as other
trusts are TO be fought, The anti
discrimination bill, which has been set
for consideration tomorrow, Is said to
have enough votes TO Insure its pass
age. This measure was drawn up
with the intention OF preventing any
trust from entering Kansas and under
selling the state.
Speaker Stubs IN explaining his vote
against the refinery bin IL believed 10
have expressed the sentiment OF the
administration on that measure when
he said:
"The legislature Of Kansas has over
turned the traditions Of history. II Is
an alarming situation This Is only
the beginning, and nobody dare say
where this frenzy viii lead us. II may
go too far, The men supporting this
bill have not looked far enough ahead.
"Our fight here has been compared
with the fight of Japan against Rus
| sIa. one is a small country and the
other large, and the courage OF Japan
has been lauded but do you know that
Japan spent ten years preparing for
this war? We have deliberated two
weeks and now decide that we are able
10 cope with the Standard on trust. We
all want 10 defeat the trust. IL is
simply a question Of the best method.
III this refinery IL managed right, IL
may make money for the state, but II
Il is managed like most Of the state In
stltutlons. IL will be a failure"
GOV. Hoch stated this afternoon that
he could not say when the state refin-
cry bill would reach him, and no pre-
ferred not To- state what action he
would take 80 tho matter until that
time arrives,
1T might be this evening or week
before the time comes for action Inc
| added.