The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-11
BEG FOR A STAY.
Independent Oil Men Plead for
Standard.
Don't Want Prairie Oil Co.
Ousted From State.
APPEAL TO JACKSON.
Ask That He Dismiss the Pend
ing Action.
Some of Same Men Who Asked
for Legislation.
APPEAL TO JACKSON.

Has Kansas become so addicted to
the trust habit that, like an opium
fiend, it can't break away, and be its
own boss?
For a second time this year. a most
extraordinary request was made be-
fore Attorney General F. S. Jackson
on Tues day afternoon. A delegation
of seventeen men, claiming to be ''in-
dependent" oil producers of the Mid
continent field, appeared in the attor-
ney generals Office and begged him
to dismiss the custer suit which he is
prosecuting against the Prairie Oil q
Gas company, the Kansas pipe line
company owned by the Standard OH
outfit.
In this delegation of independents"
were some of the very men who at the
1905 session of the legislature backed
up and lobbied for the most damaging
legislation that could be devised
against the Standard Oil company.
Now the independents" say that If
the attorney general enforces the laws
against the Standard, and its sub
sidiary company, the Prairie, it will
put the independent oil men out of
business; that they will have no mar
ket for their oil if the Prairie pipe
lines are obliged to cease operation.
1t is stated that this is the second
time that an extraordinary request of
this nature has been made to the at
torney general this year.
The first time was when a delega-
ton of farmers and implement men
pleaded with the attorney general not
to oust the Harvester trust from Kan
sas, for fear that farmers would be
unable to get repair parts for their
trust machinery, and would be
obliged to throw all trust machinery
into the scrap heap. The attorney
general didn't pay much attention to
this appeal. He went right ahead en-
forcing the law against the Interna-.
tista ti9nal, and nd. only few f days ago
court on fifty counts for violations OF
the antitrust law.
The appeal on behalf Of the 'inde-
pendent" oil producers seems to be
very similar to that of the 'independ-
ent" farmers and harvester men, They
are so tied up with the trust that they
are afraid to break away from 1T, and
take the risk of a readjustment to a
new state of affairs. The men who
claim to be independent" oil producers
seem to be, contrary to the name they
assume. entirely dependent.
1t is likely that Attorney General F. |
s. Jackson will proceed with his en-
forcement Of the law, and that If the |
Prairie Oil and Gas company is ousted |
from the state, a new company will |
have to be started to take over the |
Prairie Oil pipe lines and other proper |
ty. The ouSting of the Prairie from |
the state would greatly stimulate the |
erection of new oil refineries in Kan |
sas, and encourage the expansion of ex-
isting ref1neries. 1t probably would not |
be long until Kansas would have |
enough refineries to take care of all the |
production of the Kansas oil wells.
The producers present were H. w. |
West, Independence; S. P. Costigan. OF |
tawa; J. r. Greenleaf. Lawrence; |
Harry Dick Lawrence; F. M Perkins, |
Lawrence; W. L. Martin. Bartlesville;
s. D. Bishop Lawrence: w. J. Costigan,
Ottawa: Homer NJ. Preston, Bartles-
Vile; r. S. Litchfield. independence; ].
F. Overf1eld, independence; J. M
anon; G. F. Mahan. Independence: H.
5. Ashby, Tulsa; H. F. Sinclair, Inde-
pendence; W. G. Morrison, Tulsa.
The oil men explained to the attorney
southern Kansas and northern Okla
noma, produces about IT'S, 900 barrels of |
Dill every day, and that the Prairie Oil
and Gas company buys 100000 barrels
Of this amount daily.
'If the Prairie Oil and Gas company
s ousted." they declared 1--WE will prac-
-ically be without market for our
1il."
These custer proceedings brought by
Attorney General Jackson were brought
With the idea Of compelling the COM
1any to cease doing business in Kansas
until it complies with the laws of the
state. The suit was brought under the
law which Jackson contends
t is violating. It is the contention of
he state that under the law the Prairie
Dill and Gas company has no right to
'efuse to transport oil except that sold
o the Standard Oil company. That is
.oes into its pipe lines goes to the
standard This is the basis of the suit.
Attorney General Jackson would no:
tate last night what action he will
AXE, but he is not likely to dismiss the
uit.