The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-19
Duty ON Crude Petroleum Will
Undoubtedly BE Imposed.
Kansans Ask Protection From
Mexican Fields.
MISS TARBELL HELPS,
Makes Appeal ON Behalf of In.
dependent Oil Men.
Convinced That They Are in
Reality Independent.


dependent oil refiners who have been
petitioning the senate to give them
duty on crude petroleum and its
products have been given assurance
that such duty will be imposed, but
that it will probably not exceed 25
per cent ad valorem.
Independent ref1ners, who assert
that they have no connection with
the Standard Oil company have
asked for so per cent to protect them
from importations of crude oil from
the Mexican fields which have been
developed in the last few years, and
which enjoy facilities for reaching re-
finerieS on the Atlantic coast by
afforded the producers in Kansas and
Oklahoma, who must rely on pipe
lines.
There has been a marked change
of sentiment in congress in regard to
the duty on crude oil. When the
house of representatives, during the
closing hours of the consideration of
the Payne bill, removed the duty of
IS per cent on crude oil, members
who voted for it had an idea that
they were striking blow at the
Standard Oil company and its re-
fineries.
When the Independent oil men
made their appearance in Washing
ton they were confronted with the
suggestion that they were really sub
pany, masquerading as independents
in order to better serve the interests
of the Standard company. Within
the last day. or two letter has been
sentatives, written by Miss Ida
Tarbel1, who Is not suspected of hav-
ing any overweaning admiration for
the Standard Oil company, which
practically gives the independent oil
men a clean bill of health.
Miss Tarbell says in effect that her
gained from years of study of the
question has convinced her that the
Independent oil men are really in
and that their case and her cause is
in common with that of the con-
sumner Of the country. The un-
expected appearance Of this letter has
had a marked effect upon many of
the western senators of the so-called
progressive type and they now show
symptoms of voting to restore the duty
on crude oil which was hurrfedly
wiped out in the house.
Balloon operations, probably the most
extensive ever held in this country, will
be had at Fort Leavenworth during
June, in connection with the gradual
ing exercises of the army school of
the line, the staff college, and the sig
nal corps school at that place. Major
Edgar Russell, commandant OF the sig
nal school, will conduct the operations,
and he will be assisted by the aeronau-
teal experts who have been conducting
balloon flights from Fort Myer and this
city recently. These officers Will in
struct the student officers and the SER
vice schools in all matters pertaining
to aeronautics.
The Baldwin dirigible balloon No
and a small spherical balloon are being
sent from Fort Myer to the signal corps
where they will be used until the lat
ter part of this month. Then they will
be sent to Fort Leavenworth, together
with a new spherical balloon, which will
be Immediately purchased to replace
that destroyed last week at Jackson,
Neb., by explosion of its gas bag. The
canvas ''bancar' to house the Baldwin
balloon will be sent direct from Fort
Myer to Fort Leavenworth.
Company D, of the signal corps, has
been ordered to Fort Leavenworth to
Join Company A, of that corps, already
there. These companies will then be
formed by Major Russell into the first
balloon battalion which our army has
ever had.
The signal corps establishment at
Fort Omaha includes a plant for the
generation of hydrogen gas for inf1at-
ing balloons and apparatus for COM
pressing the gas INTO tuDeS Tor snip
ment to places needed. The balloons at
Fort Leavenworth will be inflated with
gas shipped in this manner from Omaha.
A small chemical gas generator, which
has been in use at Fort Myer, will also
be sent to Fort Leavenworth for in
struction of officers in that manner of
Initiating balloons.
wheat manipulation at Chicago
has rendered business in American
flour impossible for months" reports
Special Agent M. H. Davis of the de-
partment of commerce and labor. Mr..
Davis has been in Europe for several
months Investigating conditions of the
markets there for grain and flour. He
writes the bureau of manufactures
touching the effect of recent specula-
ton in this country in wheat, as fol-
lows:
81 confidently believe that if the
wheat SPECTATORS had let the market