Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-02-18
JOHN D. AFIRE
IN PURGHTORY
Is DAVIS WISH
ARKANSAS SENATOR AIMS ONE OF
HIS CHARACTERISTIC SPEECHES
AT STANDARD OIL.
TALKS FRIGHT OFF THE BAT.n
Rockefeller Wrapped in Flames of He'll"
Is the Way Fiery Southerner
Exp, esses 1t.
TALKS FRIGHT OFF THE BAT.
PREFERS CHARGE AGAINST OWEN.

Charging Senator Owen of Okla oma
with being interested in the affairs of
| the Standard Oil company, and saying
that he would like to see J. d. RockefeI-
'"c wrapped in the flames Of hell Sen
&teS Jeff Davis Of Arkansas today made
Il speech in the Senate which was fittingly
! characterized by him as "redhot and
| right off the bat
The speech was relative to the efforts
Of Mr.. Owen to have passed a general
oil giving right of way through the
public lands of Arkansas for a gaspipe
line MIR. Davis asserted that the bill
was in the interest of the Prairie Creek
/ company, which, he said, was d branch
Of the Standard Oil company. Believing
| TINS to be true, Senator Davis said that
ne could not sit idly by and allow to
| be passed a bill which was in direct
conflict with the antitrust law of his
state.
Condemns Sherman Law.
This law, he said, had proved to be
effective. while the Sherman federal anti
trust law had done absolutely nothing to
check the grasp and greed of the Stan
uard OH company. He had not forgot
ten the verdict for S29.00OO 100000. he
SAID, but that had vanished as the frost
before the sun. Hence, he concluded
that the provision requiring compliance
with the Sherman law was "a mere SOD
10 catch the votes Of senator's who would
not openly cast their votes in favor of
the set OF thieves and robbers which
constitute the Standard Oil company"
lie declared the bill to be one that no
senator could afford to support and chaI-
ieliSed any Democratic senator to vote
for 1t. Growing more demonstrative and
pointing his finger nj Senator Owen. Mr.
Davis exclaimed:
VIII tae senator deny that the Stand
ard Oil company is one of the most
ImquitQus and damnable trusts that ever
exiSted?'
He went on to say that by the law
this company could not come into Ar
kansas. Then he asked, will Con.
gress give them this right?'
referring to the operations of the
Prairie Creek company in Oklahoma. lie
said it was the same concern that had
caused so much scandal in that state and
was one in whose behalf Gov. Haskell had
lnterfered to the extent Of creating
stencil which filled the nostrils of every
body" Senator Davis added that the
Oklahoma governor had gone on stpn Inv
step until he had got himself indicted,
and said such legislation and such favor
itism as had been seen in Oklahoma
would cause another equally serious
scandal.
Now He Grows Fiery.
eve don't want the Standard Oil com
pany III Arkansas" he exclaimed "The
only place that ] would be willing to sec
a pipe line for the Standard Oil company
would be straight from here to hell. and
| should want to see the oil flowing di-
rectly there. Furthermore | should be
glad to see that old he-trust magnate.
John ID. Rockefeller, there to receive the
oil, and would be glad to see the flames
that its appearance would create wrapped
snugly around him"
Senator Davis repeated his challenge
to the Democrats to vote for the bill and
declaring that MIR. Owen would be the
only one to cast a vote in favor of the
measure; said that Owens support was
due to the fact that in some way the Ok
lah0ma senator was believed to be inter
eested in the Standard Oil company The
imputation brought the Indiana senator
from the new state to his feet. but he
was smiling when he said:
THE impudent speech, which the Sena-
tor from Arkansas has just delivered
has 30 foundation i'll fact
We'll, Mr.. President, the senator acts
like he is interested responded Mr. Da-
Wis, smiling. He talks like he is inter
ested and, by JInks, 1 believe he is inter.
ested."
Mr. Owen replied that it was entire
iy immaterial to him what his Arkansas
colleague might think, and went on to
say the opinion of that gentleman was
utterly worthless, q fact which would
be generally conceded to be borne out
by the present exhibition.
Il thank God responded Mr.. Davis
that l have never made an exhibition in
favor of the Standard Oil company" He
went on to say that oh did not smell
good to him and that he did not like it,
Then he exclaimed in sonorous tones,
before God. Mr.. President, I'd rather
have my right hand forget it's cunning,
my tongue cleave to the roof Of my
mouth. and the mother who bore me
disown me than appear here as an advo-
cate Of such a concern as the Standard
Oil company"
Senate Laughs at Him.
Here there was long pause during
which the Senate irreverently laughed.
Then Mr.. Davis said he was most in
earnest about the subject. Some of the
senators again laughed.
Let each senator vote as his con-
science Dictates" exclaimed Mr.. Davis
let the blood be upon you. / submit
nay case without further comment"
Senator Owen replied that the speech
did not deserve an answer, but he ex-
planned that all which stood in the way
of the pipe line was about fourteen 40
acre tracts of public lands, which could
not be condemned in the usual way. He
said the Standard Oil company had been
submitted to Arkansas by the legal au-
thorities of the state.
by what authority" demanded Mr.
Davis.