Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-02-02
INFLAMMABLE OILS.

"C SCc IL otdlCu ludl luo ulSothSN-
general has issued circulars to the
prosecuting attorneys of a number Of
counties. in answer to complaints made
to him, lnstructlng them to enforce by
indictment and fine the inspection of
petroleum oils in the hands OF dealers.
1t is asserted that two-thirds Of the oils
sold in the country towns will ignite at
HOS Fahrenheit, whereas the act of
March. 1877, requires the temperature
OF ignition to be loo. 1t is = notorious
fact that the local OIL" as it Is called.
which is being sold in Lafayette county
at the ordinary price, is not OF the grade
required by law. The merchants claim
that there is mo penalty attached to sell
ing oil at HOO fire test that it is being
done elsewhere, and that they cannot
meet competition and sell a higher grade
oil. The great number of accidents oc-
curing from the use of petroleum oils
called for the passage of an amendment
to the law of 1870, increasing the fire
test of oils from 100 to 1909 Fahren-
heit. The intent OF the law. rs amend
ed. is no doubt good. 1t is. at least.
generally approved. Ii is found that in
the state of Illinois, where the high test
has tor some years been required, petro-
leum oils sell at but a fraction mere
than they do in Missouri. where very
low grade oils are palmed off upon the
people. many of them very little better.
so far AS safety is concerned, than
naptha. Though the intention of the
law is good. a reading of it will suggest
the question. "What does it mean ~ II
the instruction of the encouragement ls
to be carried out, and our merchants are
to be indicted under the Law, what are
they to be indicted for, and what punish
ment is to be melted 70 them? The
first section of the law provides that the
governor shall appoint for certain men
toned cities, and othe, cities which NAV
petition therefor, inspectors OF carbon,
or petroleum oils. kerosene, gasoline,
&c. The second and third sections pro-
vide for the manner of testing the oils.
and fix the fire Test at 1909 Fahren-
heit. The tourttsays: If any person,
manufacturer or dealer, shall sell to any
person whatsoever in this state, any of
the said Illuminating oils or fluids, be-
fore first having the same inspected. as
provided IN this act, he shall, on convic-
ton thereof be fined in any sum not e1-
ceeding thee hundred dollars; and if
any manufacturer of or dealer in said IL
Illuminating oils or fluids shall, with in
tent to deceive or defraud. alter or erase
the inspectors brand to indicate a diff
ferent fire test. gravity or quantity than
is found by the inspector, or shall use
with such intent packages having any
inspectors brand thereon, without hav-
ing the contents actually inspected, he
shall, on conviction. be fined in any sum
not exceeding fifty dollars for each such
%offense." In every city, town. village
or hamlet where An inspector has been
appointed. the requirement and penalties
OF this section OF the law may hold good;
but it is an axiom OF law that impossi-
bi!ities cannot be required OF any person.
If there is no inspector, how can the
merchant have his oils inspected; aud it
oils in the hands of country dealers are
uninspected, who is to be indicted
the wholesale merchant in St. Louis who
a have his oils inspected. or the retail
merchant in the country who cannot ?
We believe that not one gallon Of these
infiammable oils should be sold below
lJU0 fire test, but what is to prevent a
country dealer, under this law, from
purchasing his oils in Cleveland. tested
to 100, and selling them with lmpuni-
ty? Nothing. The law simply amounts
to no law at all so far rs merchants are
concerned who do business where no
inspector has been appointed. 1t no.
where says that no oils shall be sold in
Missouri which shall not first have been
inspected by a regularly appointed Mis-
souri, inspector. but it imposes an I'M
possible condition upon a large class of
merchants, the violation of which no
grand jury would hold to be Il crime.
the Interesting feature in the case, how
ever. is that in every instance where St.
Louis, Kansas City. Hannibal, St. Joseph
and SedaIia wholesale merchants have.
since August LIST, 1877, sold oils at less
than 1862 fire test, they are liable to in
dictment, and are left without excuse
What the we st wants is n quick set
tlcment of the financial question. The
time tor discussion has passed. If
the minds OF the Legislators are not
made up they never will be. Pass the
Bland bill. repeal the resumption act.
and if q bill tor the adjustment Of the
national banks cannot pass, turn to the
adjustment OF the revenue laws OF the
country, which are almost as onerous
as the pernicious financial laws which
have disgraced and ruined the country.
The St. Louis Republicans editorial on
the CLARK county case must misappre-
bend the decision, as in this state If q
county Judge were to pay out moneys
for any other than the purposes for which
they we're levied he would be sent to
the penitentiary.
-
The Second National bank. of Kansas
CITY, closed its doors last Tuesday. 1t
,renanJo1 +a,,,,r,r;Iv in 1879 on3