The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-05

ject to all the restrictions applicable to
common carriers: and a common car
rier law was passed and is now a Kan
sas statute.
1.-The fifth resolution requested law
prohibiting any corporation OF person
from undertaking a competitor to ruin
him and at the same time sell the
same product at a higher price in an
other community. a law known as
the DISCRIMINATION law was
passed in compliance with this re
quest It is now on the statute book.
1.-THE sixth resolution requested the
enactment of a law placing maxi
mum rate for freight charges on the
shipment of oil by the railroads. The
law wassenacted.
1.-The seventh resolution requested a
board for the supervision and protec-
ton of the oil fields from damage from
neglected and abandoned wells, and to
supervise the inspection and grading
of crude oil. This bill had to be
neglected and was not passed.
THE result of the. formation OF the
association and it's efforts was the en-
actment of four laws out of five which
were requested result never before
equaled in Kansas, and SO far as we
know, never equaled in any other
state.
I'VE must not forget the legisla ture
in this brief review, for it is entitled
to honorable mention always. In abil-
ity, as a body, it ranked far above the
average legislature. 1t was patriotic.
square and honest. 1t realized that it
had been elected to labor for the well
fare of Kansas, and it rose to the oc-
casion and did its duty. 1t was not
elected on the issues put before it by
the oil producers, but it responded
nOblv to what it saw was the right OF
the matter. It was a clean, honorable
body bent on doing the right thing. 1t
was business body, careful of its
reputation, for there were no gratis
nor scandals I said in a conmunica-
other legislature had ever been given
the opportunity in Kansas which now
came to this one, and if 1t responded
intelligently it would be the most
illustrious that ever met in any state.
That estimate may have been too
high though doubt it. It must be
admitted that the Kansas legislature
of 1905 stood for a square deal and
against graft, Doodle, trusts, and other
forms of oppression of the people.
''The oil men saw with satisfaction
many of the ablest men in the legis-
lature come to their aid and labor
specially in their interest without eX-
mediation of fee or reward. Where all
the friends of the oil producers did so
we'll it is difficult to justly make spe-
cial mention. In the senate FItzpat-
rick and Smith were untirillg IN their
efforts but none worked harder nor
Getty Of Wyandotte county. His
course was an agreeable surprise to
the oil producers. He was new man
in the public affairs of Kansas, and it
was not known how he would regard
the questions presented by the oil
men He voluntarily espoused their
cause for the sole reason that he. be-
lieved it the right thing to do, and he
stood for their requests with marked
ability.
"The fight started by the oil pro-
ducers here has spread to many states
Kansas blazed the way. as she always
does when a great movement for the
rights of the people is to be inaugur-
ated. Under the leadership of Gov
ernor Hoch the people carried their
cause to the legislature, which by its
response became the most remarkable
that ever assembled in any state and
became illustrious in being the first to
make a stalwart stand against the
further. entertainments of monopoiistic
greed -