The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-02-24
by JACOB wALpECK

ny JACOB WALnECK
Staff Correspondence 10 the Seattle
Star.
TOPEKA. kan. Feb 20 Two
questions suggested by the Kansas
uprising against the Standard Oh
company concern the cause OF It ana
the chance OF a state oil refinery
proving an effective remedy
The uffenaea charged against the
/ Standard include OPPRESSION OF
1.-THE PRODUCERS. EXORulTANT
/ PRICES CHARGED CONSUMERS,
/ MANIPULATION or FREIGHT
RATES AND CuTTHROAT COM
/ PETITION.
/ For most OF the trouble that has
/ come 20 it. the trust can thank the
I Kansas of Producers association.
Il was organized January 10. and Ia
composed OF clear-headed. eoura-
gooua Americans. who were threat
cned with HEAVY LOSSES AND.
/ PERHAPS. RUIN THROUGH THE
/ TACTICS OF THE TRUST. Deter
mined TO fight for their rights. they
IorganlEed to make effective the sen.
Jlment IN the state against the trust
a. Z West. OF Peru. vas elected
president
At the headquarters Of the organ
/ iEatian West and some af his asHo.
ciates told your correspondent Of
/ their experience with the standard
!. Three or four years aEn. they said.
the trust devoted about $500 u10 %
tho development OF the field Ia
/ southern Kansas. but failed 70 get
good rcaulta. 1T ENCOURAGED
/ FARMERS AND OTHERS TO take
up the work Of development The
lprlee Of oil was advanced from ~
cents TO us a barrel. and
4 WELL DEVELOPED boon
was tho result
a few months Rgo tho trnst
talked overproduetion and the price
was gradually reduced 10 % cents
The producers noticed however.
that while the price Of crude OIL
had been reduced nearly 30 per cent
REFINED OIL SOLD AT THE
/ SAME OLD RATE
Consumers noticed that they were
not getting any benefit from the
discovery Of oil In the state THE
PRICE WAS THE SAME As N
THE DAYS WHEN KEROSENE
/ CANE FROM TIE EAST Pro-
dufsfH also began 90 Haffrr In the
matter u transportation Railroad
freight rates we're advanced 20 such
an extent that they had t1 give up
contracts for furnishing Oh as fuel
% manufacturer In the cities
These uruh.u.tlte rates vefe APP
plied when The standard OF com
pauy completed lu pipe line last
August Tho chief Offender seems 10
have been the Santa Re system 90
tho directorate Of ehich two stand
ard OHl mRKuntca aeru added at the
Last annual nesting.
While the Standard had % fhip
by rail. the rates we're go luw ihai
all producers could ship AZ a ptofit
When tho plpc line was complrsed.
they could not ship a. all. 1hey
had the choice 81 KEEPING TIE X
OIL OR SELLING IT To TIE
STANDARD AT ANY PRICE THE
LATTER CHOSE TO PAY. 1hey
| had be~n
/ ENCOURAGED ny TIE STAND
ARD
20 Invest all their available money
ia oil property and the combination
of Low prices for crude and high
freight rates placed them Ia a hard
position
The Standards influence over the
railways has been demonstrated In
rather an interesting manner by the
fact that the pipe line vas laid Ia
the railroad right u way.
/ Afsr the completion Of the pipe
line. freight rates from the field 10
Kansas Ctr were raised from SIS
70 SIS a car. A car load Of cattle
would be handled by the company
over the same route for SIS. The
companys liability for the loas Of
a car load OF cattle n 81 200. for a
car OF oil $3.50. The rate on a