The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-06
The PEOPLE VS.. The STANDARD

sentatives. three supposedly Stubs"
mem bers of the house have approach
ed him unsolicited to state to him tnat
they were going to fight for the state
refinery.
Il am sorry Stubbs has lined up the
way he has" said one of these mem
bers, but I will have to fight him on
dozen members of the house this
morning, and they are going to come
out openly in favor of a state oil re-
finery. The sentiment is growing, IN
spite of the opposition of some of the
administration leaders,
OF course there will be tremendous
pressure brought to bear to compel
the members to get in line with Stubbs
and HOch- 1t remains to be seen
whether the Standard Oil lobby can
accomplish its object.
Is Stubbs Hedging?
From what Speaker Stubbs said this
morning, it might be gathered that the
Republican leader is hedging in his po-
pears to be inevitable defeat. He said
to a State Journal reporter:
Il don't know what the members
think about the refinery proposition:
suppose every nlan will try to vote on
that question just as the people of his
county want him to vote. In my own
county the sentiment is overwhelming
" against the establishment of a refine
"
me. 1 believe the state should not go
into this business.
'.The STANDARD Oil company can only
be regulated through the railroads; by
fixing the maximum rates for the
transportation of oil and by prohibiting
discrimination within the state"
Have not such methods been tried
in vain?' was asked.
They have never been tried, replied
the speaker
Fight on Beekman.
Members of the gas and oil COM
mittee are sore at c. S. Beekman,
Chairman of that committee. They
sav that Beekman does not allow a
full and fair discussion of pending gas
and oil bills, and they charge that he
is trying TO hold up the state refinery
and anti-pumping bills.
Beekman is openly fighting the oil
refinery and is said to be secretly Op-
posed to the anti-pumping bill.
On the other hand, the four other
mem bers of the gas and oil commit
tee who went to Coneyville and Inde-
pendence Saturday, have come back
enthusiastic in favor of an anti-pump-
ing bill, and several of them are talk
ing openly against Stubbs and his posi-
ton on the oil refinery.
I'VE had a very instructive visit to
the gas country" said F. H. Pralle.
1--WE did not investigate the oil ques-
ton, but believe we are all convinced
that.there should be a law against the
pumping of gas.
J B. TAYLOR of Osborne said: I'VE
should prevent the pumping of gas
We visited four glass factories at Cof-
feyVille and three at independence,
and heard the same story at all places. 4
They saw the gas will hold out for
twenty years without pump pressure,
but win all be gone in five years if the
legislature allows pumps to be used.
R. H. Mcbride of Jewell says; There
is no doubt that the gas pipe lin PROPOSE
ton is a Standard Oil move. The Stand
ard Oil wants the anti-pumping bill and /
the state refining bill defeated and the
members of the legislature VIII have to
show their hand. Without the pumping
system gas can be carried to Topeka by
natural pressure, but the people down
there won't stand for pumps, either in
Kansas or Missouri. They will dynamite
any pipe line which has a pump attached
They are Desperate
The five members of the gas and oil
committee who made the trip to Corey
VILE and independence were Beeknan,
Taylor, Mcbride, Pralle and Banks.
Beekman is the only one of theh quin-
tette who did not return to Topeka this
morning in time for the session of the
house.
Some of the members of the committee
say that unless Beekman gets right down
TO business and allows his committees to
report on the state oil refinery and anti
pumping bills. they will appeal to Speaker
Stubbs to name a new chairman for he
gas and oil committee. OF course it is
probable that Stubbs would re ,use to do
this, but such action would greatly dis
credit Mr. Beekman's standing and tend
to force him to allow the committee to
act on these important matters
A big delegation of southern Kansas
people are on their way to Topeka for the
purpose of interviewing Gov. Hoch and
convincing him that the state should have
oil refinery.
The governor was out at Washburn
colles this morning delivering an address
hefO, the students and therefore could
not receive his numerous callers.
Governor Hoch has not yet entirely
committed himself to Stubbs anti-refn-
ing plan and he can probably save him
self by a hasty retreat. There is danger
for the whole administration machine in
of Kansas.