Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1905-04-28
10 McDILL'S MUSINGS.
STATE OIL REFINERY.

From the standpoint of great many people,
both high and low, rich and poor, politician
aud layman; officer and private, Socialism is
an awful bad thing, and any one who cannot
have nightmare over the thought of Socialism
is in bad way, and, if not ciank and dan
gerous person, is at least person to be watched
and sat down on just as often as there are any
friendly symptoms for the principles of the
Socialistic program.
lust now the state oil refinery is attracting
much attention, and, from the governor down
to ward boss. the general denial that the REIN
ery is Sociaistic is evidence that some people
would rather be wickedly wrong than perform
good action, if such actiCn was not popular
As matter of fact, there is no need for such
roar. The state refinery will have to stand on
its own merit. The intention of the Legislature
was good, and If the refinery accomplishes
what it is intended to accomplish, no Socialist
has any objection to offer, and if the refinery
fails, it will tend to make the Socialistic posi-
tion stronger by demonstrating the necessity OF
general cooperation.
Seemingly, the intention of The Legislature
was to prevent Rockefeller from stealing Kan
sas' OIL The only way to fight Rockefeller
successfully is to keep him from gaining pos
session. When once Rockefeller gains posses
sion, there is no way, seemingly, OF getting
the loot away from him.. The legislature took
a wise position when it passed measures look
ing to the protection of the oil owners in en-
abliug them to hold their property until such
time, and in some manner, the oil could be
marketed at lair profit.
IL the last analysis, the state oil refinery is
state protection from the rapacity of a corpora
ton. This position is forced upon the state in
the interests of only comparatively few ndi-
viduals, in so far as the crude oil product is
affected. In general way, everybody who
burns kerosene is interested. Rockefeller not
only wanted the crude oil for song, but he
wanted eight times the cost from the consumer
Comparatively, it was small matter to rob the
owners of the crude oil, because the interests
of only few individuals were involved To
the general public, it is great matter, because
Rockefeller's robbery does not stop at the few.
People who own no oil lands are as indignant
as the people who are owners. There is
principle involved. The people who use kero-
sene could 60 on paying Rockefeller's extor-
tionate prices and not be greatly injured,
financially, but society, as a whole, would
be, and is, injured in its character. Man.
hood, high moral principe, justice, good
government are injured, and civilization is
menaced whenever any corporation becomes
strong enough to crush competition and dictate
prices without limit, either in the buying or
selling of any article of merchandise in general
use.
Back behind the Bastile prison destroyed by
the Paris mob, in the French revolution, was
principle that the people hated. the mob de-
stroyed the Bastile to show its hatred of that
principle.
The early abolitionists hated the principle
that enslaved any man, white or black. They
struck at the principle. 1t was not so much
love tor the colored race as hatred of system
that menaced the liberty of all men.
The people of Kansas stood first in opposition
to cfatte slavery, and to-day, it stands first in
opposition to what may be termed mercantile
robbery.
A.