The Topeka state journal., 1908-02-11
Natural Gas Company Appeals to
Kansas State Officers.
Asks for Help to Break Down
Oklahoma Law.
CAN'T PIPE OUT GAS
Wanted 10 Use States Name to
Make Test Case.
Request Rejected by Governor
HOch and Other Officials.

Under the apparent belief that the
supply of gas in the Kansas field is
likely to be soon exhausted, the Kan
sas Natural Gas company is trying to
get the state of Kansas to help ii
break down the barrier which the
state of Oklahoma has erected by
statutory enactment to prevent the
pumping of natural gas out of that
state.
An appeal has been made to Gov
ernor Hoch and other state officials,
1t is reported, by representatives of
the Kansas Natural Gas company, for
permission to use the name of the
state in a. suit to be filed in the SUI
preme court Of the United States to
knock out the Oklahoma law, and
authorize the Kansas Natural Gas
company to extend its pipes down in
to the rich Oklahoma field
This appeal has been rejected by
the Kansas officials, on the ground
that the matter is one which con-
Germs the Kansas Natural Gas COM
pany, and not the state of Kansas,
and for the further reason that the
state of Kansas does not believe in
invoking. the aid of the federal
courts to enjoin the enforcement of
the laws of a sister commonwealth.
The interference of federal courts in
state affairs is exactly what the state
of Kansas is protesting against in the
matter of railroad litigation.
Kansas, at the legislative session of
1905, passed law intended to pro-
hibit the pumping of natural gas to
Kansas City. Mo-, st. Joseph, Mo-, and
other points outside of Kansas. This
law was known as the anti-pumping
law, and it lasted just the length of
time that was required for the case to
come on for hearing in the supreme
court. The supreme court held that
the state could not interfere with in
L ~ 4. -
be pumped to Kansas City, Mo. The
result is that Missouri is really get
ting more Kansas gas than is Kansas
itself The great pipe lines to Kan
sas City So. Joseph and Joplin, Mo-,
take more gas out Of Kansas than the
same pipe line distributes to Kansas
consumers. DuriI the month Of De-
ceInber, the Kans-s~ City, Mo-, con-
sumers used the enormous aggregate
of 100000 worth Of gas, and this is
a fair average of the winter months
in that city. Kansas tried it's best to
prevent the piping of natural gas out
side Of Kansas; it would have passed
a law, If it could, that would have
prevented amy mains being laid into
Missouri but it found this was i'm
possible.
There is not much doubt that the Ok
lahoma law can also be knocked out,
but the Kansas Natural Gas company
seems to be in a hurry to connect up
with the Oklahoma field. and to fear
the delay which will be occasioned by
fighting the case through the Oklahoma
courts and then through the supreme
court of the United States. What the
Kansas Natural Gas company wants is
for the state to step in and loan it's
name as 1t did in the Katy suit, to
force Oklahoma to do for Kansas what
Kansas is doing for Missouri in the
matter of supplying natural gas
Everything indicates that the Okla
homa gas field is larger and better than
the Kansas field, and even though the
Kansas Natural Gas company may fig
ure that 1t has enough gas to last for
a wear or two, it is naturally very de-
sirous of getting connections with some
of the powerful gassers down in the
new state On the other hand, the con-
dition may be more serious than the
gas company has been willing to admit,
and the Kansas Natural may have dis
covered that unless 1t can break down
the Oklahoma barrier quickly. its vast
Kansas property will be ruined by in
ability to get more gas.
Kansas would be willing that Okla
hona should keep its own gas If there
was any way to prevent Missouri TAX
ing the Kansas gas, but as there is no
wav TO prevent this Oklahoma might
as we'll be polite and allow the Kansas
Natural to stick its beak into the Okla
homa gas wells.
TT is expected that the Kansas Nat
ural Gas company, now that its appn-
cation to the state has been re1ected'
viii appeal to the courts on Its own be-
ha1f bv means of some test case
hrousht against the Oklahoma law.