Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1905-02-17
FOR A STATE OIL. REFINERY.

Governor Hoch TO sign the bill and make it :
law. This he will do, no doubt, for the people
of the state have spoken, and they are for a
state oil refinery The house passed the bill
by an overwhelming majority.
Probably the vote for the bill would not have
been so large, but the Standard Oil Company
resorted to its usual bulldozng tactics, and
that made the loyal Kansas representatives
mad, and they said, "We'll swat Mr.. Rookie
Teller few, and shcw him that he isn't run
ming Kansas"
AS soon as the senate passed the state REIN.
cry bill, last week, the Standard Oil Company
undertook to influence the lower house by de-
caring that it would buy more Kansas oil
and that it would cease all operations in the
state. Notices we've posted accordingly The
refinery at Neodesha was ordered closed, anc.
mauy employees in the state were discharged,
The company said it would pipe Indian Terri
tory oil through Kansas to the refinery at Kan
sas City. This threat aroused the oil-producers
OF the state, and they proceeded to pour into
Topeka by special train to express their wishes
to the Legislature. The Kansas oil producers
also said that they would provide for the men
who were thrown out of employment by the
Standard Oil Company.
Not only did the oil-producers beseige the
Legislature, but the members received kilograms
and letters from every part of the state, asking
and demanding that the Legislature do its duty
and give the Standard black eye.
The Standard Oil Company soon learned its
fnistake--learned that Kansans are not easily
bthdozed; so it crawfished and said it did not
threaten to quit buying Kansas oil. But the
mischief had been done The Standard had
started something doing, and couldn't stop it.
In fact, the thing the Standard started is not
going to stop in Kansas.
The agitation which this matter has started
has created sentiment which will con.
tinue TO grow until the beef trust, the salt trust
and other trusts will have to be handled in the
same manner by the state. This is only the
opening wedge.
!. The state refinery, as proposed under the BILL
will handle 1000 barrels of crude oil, and will
turn out from 900 to 1000 barrels of the re-
fined product daily.
The refinery bill, the maximum freight rate
bill and the anti-discrinlination bill shuts out
the Standard Oil trust from this state. The
freight rate bill was passed by the house, and
the anti-discrimiraton bill was laid over until
to-day. The anti-discrimination bill prevents
the Standard Oil Company or any other trust
from entering the state and underselling the
state in any locality. The freight rate bill
makes the railroads common carriers In this
way the oil trust and other trusts are to be fought.
The passage of the state refinery bill opens
the way for independent refinsries in the state,
and several independent companies are now
preparing to come into the state. An indie
pendent pipe line to the gulf is now contem-
plated. Indeed, we are told by gentleman
who is in position to know that the pipe for
this line has already been purchased.
Kansas is "the state of first things" She
has started the ball rolling. 1t will roll on,
growing as it rolls. The sentiment in favor of
public ownership has gained such hold upon
the people that men Of all political parties are
advocating it. One Republican said to us, the
other day, ''Ie this is Socialism, all right-I'm
/ for it, it makes no difference what you call it,"
AID this man is ouly one of mary.
Oh, it's coming, friendsl