The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-18
SENATOR DAVIS
IN WARM DEBATE
Arkansan Jumps on Rockefel-
Ter and Standard Oil
OWEN RESENTS WORDS
Oklahoma Senator Argues for Pipe Line
Bill and Davis Charges Him with
Working for Interests of
Standard Oil

| Washington, February Ex-senator JEFF
Davis of Arkansas startled the Senate
today with a declaration that he would
like to see John D. Rockefeller consigned
to perdition and burned In flames caused
by the consumption of the products of the
Standard OIL company.
| He spoke in opposition to a bill author!z-
ing an oil and gas pipe line across the
public lands of Arkansas. Accusing Senn-
tor Owen, sponsor of the bill, with a
business connection with the STANDARD
company, he engaged in a spirited col
loquy with that senator.
| The bill had been passed at a pervious
session of the Senate and was recalled
by Mr.. Owen to accommodate Mr.. Davis
In the course of his speech Mr.. Davis con-
tended that the admission of the pipe line
| into Arkansas would violate the anti
| trust laws of his state and saying that
hell was the only place he would be will
ing to see the Standard Oil company
pipe line enter he added that he would
also be rejoiced to see Mr.. Rockefeller
.incinerated in the flames caused by his
own OIL
| Mr.. Owen denied all connection with
the Standard Oil company, and said that
the oil in Oklahoma could be taken out
only through pipe lines crossing Arkansas
On the passage of the bill, Mr.. Davis
cast the only negative vote.
Cause of the Speech
| The speech was made apropos Oh 'he
| effort of Mr. Owen to have passed a
general bill giving a right-of-way through
| the public lands of Arkansas for gas
| pipe line. Mr.. Davis asserted that the
bill was in the interest of the Prairie
Oil company, which, he said, was a
branch of the STANDARD Oil company
Believing this to be the truth, he says he
| could not sit idly by and allow to be
passed bill which wes in direct conflict
with the antitrust law-of his state.
This law, he said, proved to be effec-
| tive while the Sherman federal antitrust
| law had done absolutely nothing to check
the grasp and greed Of the Standard Oh
company. He had not forgotten the yer.
dict for $2s, 900, 900, but it vanished as frost
before the sun. He concluded that the
provision requiring compliance with the
| Sherman law to be mere sop to catch
| the votes of senators who would not
openly cast their votes in favor of the
set of thieves and robbers which con-
stitutes the Standard Oil company.
He declared the bill to be one that nc
| senator could afford to support and
| challenged any democrat to vote for it.
| Growing more demonstrative and pointing
his finger at Senator Owen, Mr.. Davis ex-
claimed:
s.Will the senator deny that the Stand
ard OIL company is one. of the most inqui-
tous and damnable trusts that ever
| existed?" He went on to say that under
the law this company could come te
| Arkansas. Then he said, will Con.
rress give them this right?"
| scandal in Oklahoma
Referring to the operations of the
| Prairie Oil company in Oklahoma he sale
it was the same concern that had caused
so much scandal in the state and was one
in whose behalf Governor Haskell had in
| terferred to the extent of creating a
stencil which filled the nostrils of every.
body. He added that the Oklahoma gov.
ernor has gone on step by step unit
| he had himself indicted and said such
LEGISLATION ana such favoritism as had
been seen in Oklahoma would cause an
other serious scandal.
1--WE don't want the Standard Oil com
| pany in Arkansas" he exclaimed. The
only place that it would be willing to see
pipe of the Standard Oil company would
| be straight from here to hell, and would
want to see the oil flowing directly there
| Furthermore, should be glad to see that
l,1I f~,xok - Inv ~ ~nfc 1l~x
there to receive the oil and would be glad
| to see the flames that it's appearance
would create wrapped snugly around him.
He repeated his challenge to the demo-