The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-02-18
n REFINE COAL OIL
KANSAS LEGISLATURE PASSES
MEASURE.
:, Be Located at Peru, and
o,viCt Labor USed-CongresS
o,.ects Bureau of Commerce
- labor to investigate Oil
e;,uation in That State.

Lo Kan, Feb. ia bill pro-
.1 igp for state oil refinery passed
Vi'iT Tonsas house of re- resentatives
tDs ,rdgv Gov. Hoch will sign the
!e g'y ~ once. Under it's provisions a
o' s.,ry will be located at Peru, Kan.
lsnu .bor renitentiary will be built
n hyo 70 provide convict labor for the
'" en.rv An appropriation of $410,
l pnn; " made for building and maintain
WV WV mo refinery and penitentiary.
us Tbis ends one of the most bitter
.-tt, ever made before the legislature.
T IT, Standard Oil Company and the
Ill have maintained strong lob
Is, here vainly trying to defeat the
p Wv, The Kansas Oil Producers asso-
" cotton has sent the following telegram
~ President Roosevelt:
Aid of Government Asked.
orbe undersigned, representing the
Ill nroducers of the state of Kansas,
ond sDeaklng for the intelligent and
Industrious people of the state, and
roicing the spirit of American fair
NAV everywhere, appeal to you, and
tbrough YOUR secretary Of the interior
and BY YOU to the congress Of the Uni
rod States for help in the undertaking
of thp legislature of the state to protect
tba oil industry Of the state from the
onnrassion of the Standard Oil trust.
Because the legislature presumes
70 exercise a natural function of gov
eminent by legislating for the welfare
and protection of industries within the
borders of the state against the oppres-
sion of all mo1opolies, and because the
legislature proposes to try the expert
ment of public oil refinery as means
Of preserving and making profitable
the oil industry, the general manager
of the Standard Oil Company has de-
clared a boycott upon Kansas oil, and
one of his subordinates has insulted
our people by expressing in the public
pvirts a groundless fear that they will
destroy the company's property.
Would Cancel Lease.
I've further represent to you that a
menace to the crude oil market is a
continued ownership by the Standar d
Oil Company of what is known as tn e
Foster lease of the Usage Indian re s.
ervation. This reservation includes
one and one half million acres of land
which contains a reservoir of petrole-
um so rich that if the Standard Oil
company should own and develop it,
that company will have supply of oil
that will make it independent of pri-
vate production, not only in the West,
but all over the United States.
The lease is nominally held by
straw men, but it really is in the
grip of the Standard Oil Company and
the oil producers appeal to the presi-
dent, the secretary of the interior and
the congress to refuse the application
now pending for its extension. 1t is
TOO much for the government to give
10 the Standard Oil Company or its
agents. an organization which is al
ready so powerful that it presumes to
oo greater than the people and the gov
eminent.
Inc Kansas oil field has been de-
,0tOPea on the promise of fair play and
soOo prices by the Standard Oil Com
p"ny' out now the supply is sufficient
Lot Tue needs of the company, it, as it
las las uole IN other fields, has reduced
snep price below profit, and the men
"no nave invested their money will
io 0 ~ ana the field will languish, un-
I'' 'i.e government, state and nation
a -! i9luses to confer upon the company
s, uut'ionai rights and franchises, and
I I14nS IN the other direction and legis-
'"t TS LOT the people awhile"
DOM nc telegram is signed by the presi-
f.. anu secretary of the association.
81 ~ Is likely that the validity of the
a ~, iellnery bill will be tested in the
So So supreme court before it goes into
~ I ~ The bill calls for the issuance
br; T9nGs for the amount necessary to
j. INV 'ne refinery. State Auditor Wells,
rba - announced will refuse to register
tbo oOnuS called for in the bill until
"p'ene court says they are valid.