No place in the oil region is safe from the intrusion of the oil well with its unsightly derrick. They are everywhere, in the streets of the towns, in the depths of the woods, almost crowding a house from its own front yard. The picture at the top of the page shows six wells in one man's garden With the organization of the Prairie Oil and Gas Company, the Standard Oil Company began stirring itself. It was It was desirable that the full extent of the Kansas field should be known. The inducement that most quickly would bring this result without risk to the company would be to increase the price of crude oil. The prices were alluring, and clerks, merchants, farmers, and laborers invested in stock companies promoted by speculators, and derricks went skyward all over southeastern Kansas. The relative increase in production and prices was com staring at 70 cents a barrel. Since that time the price has dropped to 68 cents a barrel. If the Kansas producer was ignorant of what had happened, experienced operators from Pennsylvania were there to tell him. They knew that the Standard had acquired all the information it desired concerning the extent and value of the Kansas field, and that the man on the outside had been decoyed into doing the work at his own expense. Moreover, the Standard had gained control of a larger and richer oil field in plementary. THE MEN OF THE OIL FIELDS The production of crude oil in 1900 was 74,714 barrels ; in 1901, 179,151; in 1902, 331,749; in 1903, 1,071,015; in 1904, 5,599,054. The maximum prices were: 1899, 75 cents a barrel; 1900, 80 cents; 1901, 80 cents; 1902, 90 cents. In 1903 the price advanced from $1.15 on January 1 to $1.38 on December 9. This last was a turning point from which the market never rallied. On February 12, 1904, the price had declined to $1.31, and it fell slowly but regularly to $1.03 on June 17. On December 31 the price reached 80 cents, and on the last day of January, 1905, the independent producers were Indian Territory and Oklahoma, from which its pipe line passed through Kansas to a big refinery at Sugar Creek, near Kansas City, Missouri. This pipe line was connected with the Standard's inter-State line now building to Whiting, Indiana. Kansas oil no longer was essential to the Standard's immediate prosperity. The Standard grew prodigal in schemes to harass and discourage the Kansas producer. With the completion of its pipe line to Kansas City, freight rates on crude oil suddenly were almost doubled, and producers were confront alternative of selling at a the Standard or paying prohibitive freight rates. An arbitrary differential of twenty cents a barrel was made in favor of the field south of Neodesha, though formerly there had been no discrimination in price. This differential affected adversely a large percentage of Kansas oil. Another gouge was a pipeage discount of three per cent. for impurities, which producers declared did not exist, and a charge of from one-half to one per cent. for "steaming the oil, to move it more easily through the pipe lines. The only independent refinery in Kansas was at Humboldt. To drive this small refinery out of business, the Standard lowered the retail price of kerosene to nine cents a gallon in towns where the Humboldt refinery had a market, while elsewhere the price of kerosene was fifteen to twenty cents a gallon. The Standard's campaign affected about four hundred companies, six thousand farmers whose lands were leased, and a total of twenty-five thousand persons interested directly or indirectly in the oil business. The independent producers Association was organized, and H. E. West elected President, and J. M. Parker, of Independence, Secretary. A committee was chosen to remain at Topeka MEASURING THE CONTENTS OF AN OIL TANK The depth of the oil in a tank is measured by means of a weighted steel tape line before the oil is drawn off into the pipe line saw the disaster confronting them. When the average Kansan gets into trouble, he tries to get out by "organizing." This is what the producers did. The initial step was taken by H. E. West, an oil producer living at Peru. He called a local meeting, and declared that relief could come only from the Legislature, then in session at Topeka. A largely attended State convention of oil producers was held at Topeka on January 19, 1905. The Kansas Oil Producers' and formulate plans for legislation. The building of a State refinery was proposed, but at first met with opposition among business men and politicians who doubted the wisdom of State ownership, and feared that the experiment would fail and saddle a heavy indebtedness upon the State. Governor E. W. Hoch and W. R. Stubbs, his political lieutenant and Speaker of the House of Representatives, were among the doubters, but unfriendly to the Standard Oil Company. As the demand for a refinery grew more vehement, Governor Hoch yielded to the wishes of his people. How the producers' committee won ered, and in a week the committee had laid a foundation for its campaign, which was conducted with the strategy of practical politics. Its members kept away from the Legislature, and appealed directly to the people. A list of every township trustee in the State, and the name of every farmer on file in the State Department of Agriculture, was obtained, and to each was mailed a letter telling of the rapacious conduct of the Standard Oil Company, and the evil that menaced both the consumer and the independent producer of oil, and asking for advice. Thousands of copies of friendly newspapers containing special articles and cartoons denouncing the Standard Oil Company were sent everywhere in the State, the rural mail delivery service permitting the rapid dissemination of this literature. The headquarters of the committee grew to be the busiest place in Topeka. Clerks and stenographers worked night and day in this campaign of publicity, the watchword of which was "So the People May Know." The committee and its attorney prepared and approved a State oil refinery bill, a maximum freight rate bill, an anti-discrimination bill, etc., which enthusiastic champions quickly introduced in the Legislature. MEASURING THE CONTENTS OF AN OIL TANK In small tanks the depth of the oil is measured by means of a graduated rod, and the quantity of oil in the tank is computed from the depth its fight is a story that should be known in every State. The Standard sent its most trusted lobbyists and attorneys to block adverse legislation, and the Standard's reputed success in manipulating legislatures gave little encouragement to the hope that the lawmakers of Kansas would escape its seductive influence. The producers employed a competent lawyer and opened headquarters. Their plans at first were indefinite, but every suggestion was carefully consid A blizzard had blanketed Kansas with snow, and the rural citizen had leisure to read the "trust-busting" literature left at his door every day by his mailcarrier. An avalanche of letters and petitions fell daily into the State House at Topeka from constituents demanding that their representative should break |