Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-02-24
SELLING THE BED OF THE ALLIE
GHENY

Il will be seen BY the proceedings of the Legis-
lature published yestesday that one Of the schemes
of plunder organized at Harrisburg is likely to
prove successful The scheme of giving up the
led Of the Allegheny river to oil spectators, has
been put on its passage in the House by vote of
40 to SO and this vote indicates that the plum
derers have organized their forces, agreed upon
the distribution Of the spoils, fixed the price Of
putting the swindle through the forms of legaz-
ing it
When this scheme was first proposed it was
laughed at as preposterous and ridiculous but
nothing is either preposterous or ridiculous, at
Harrisburg that has money in it and despite the
laughs and jeers of the commun nifty, it viii pass,
for it is "a big thing, and "a big thing has
never been allowed to escape the grasp of a Penn
sylyania Legislature within the last twenty years
The bed of the Allegheny river belongs to the
State. That part of it lying in the oil region is
supposed to be rich in oil and that part of it, the
bill in question proposes practically to goe to the
corporators named in it. And most munifcent
gift it viii prove, if their expectations are .reali-
zed
1t is plain that the originators of this scheme
would not press it if they did not think there was
mint of money in it. The simple problem is
this: the State owns long strip of territory sup
posed to be rich in oil the State is not likely to
go into the oil business ON its own account; there
fore, let the State hand it over to ''us. But
why to as, rather than to any other equal num-
Der of citizens What special claim upon the
State have the men whom this bill is intended to
enrich And if neither they nor any other men
in the State have a claim to such grand gratuity
why should the State dispose off all The State
clearly, should not give it to any one who has not
good claim to it and where all have equal
claims, it should be given to all or none
Mr.. Mcclure proposed that the State shall have
five per cent of the proceeds How very consd-
crate of the interests of the State She gives ALL
contributes all the real capital of the concern; and
is kindly allowed FIVE per cent. as her share The
men who contribute few hundreds to buy engines
to pump up the oil are to have 95 per cent, and
the State which contributes the oil ITSELF is to
have the pittance that is left If the concern
yields 100000 a month, the men who bore few
holes through which the oil is to flow will be con-
tent to take S95 900 and the State is to consider
herself well paid with $4,000 Well let us be
thankful the schemers did not take it ALL Hav-
ing the power, it IS wonder they were magnani-
nous enough to allow the poor State any thing
The men who are are passing this bill may as
well understand that the people know hotc its pas
sage has been procured The offensive smell of
Petroleum is nothing to the stencil that will stick
forever to their garments. If they choose to defle
themselves, let them do it with their eyes open to
all the consequences. Not one of the men who
soled their fingers with the repeal of Che tonnage
tax ever recovered from it and no member who
votes fo2 this bill escape from utter condemna-
ton 1t may pay, for little while, to pass such
bills, but it will not in the long run Popular JUS
tice is swift In oyertaking such offenders Let
them, therefore, take heed that they have been
forewarned in season. PtttsJurq Gazette