The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-27
pLpES IND pLpERS

Hoyt pipcrs are already piping falsely
with reference TO Mr.. Oilrs position on
free pipe lines, The Morning Patriot
auiets their Misrepresentation with the
following; No man in Pennsylvania
ever pretended TO doubt the position of
Senator Dill on the free pipe hill until
he became n candidate for governor AMI
il became the intcrcStof personal rivals
and their adhcrcnts tomaligu and mis-
represent him. Long before Il, L. Brown
developed into the great champion OF
the oil producing interests Mr.. I'M 3
position on this question Was well nm
derstood. In The legislative session oi
1873 Mr.. Dill voted ON all questions al
fcctinc the oil Interests with the friends
ola free pipe law. When the bill waS
on first reading in that session, Senator
Elisha W. Davis, ofrhilodclphia, m''>
al to recommit It 20 the committee Oh
corporations. Senator Davis did not
conceal his opposition 20 the measure,
and his object in making this molten
was TO s.rangle it or load It down MIN
amendments that would render it inei~
fa,tiv, Senator piu voted "ro, with
the friends Of the nee pipe bill cn tins
motion. When the hin was broush; up
on second reading Senator p1'I Was '''
sent in Washington without notice, The
vote was yeas. -, nays n, SO that h's
presence would have been Of no avail
But 4, is not necessary 20 s. further
hack in search Of the record. The rT''
s,ruecle over the free hill was IN the
session oflS7S. There can be no MIS-
take concerning the position Of senators
ON either side Of the question IN tins
session. Senator Dill not only voted iof
the bill m all its stages bat WAS the
ahlest advocate Of its passage On th'
tloor Of the senate. HIS speech was re-
eeived with the greatest delight hy the
friends Of the bill and MS puet'sheo
and republished with strong oomiAeAu''
ton in the entire oil producing region,
In that speech the senator clearly ana
forcibly presented the grounds IN i"''i
ofthe bill The bill, he argued, WAS IN
harmony with the wallace Ac!, whiIh
was made necessary 10y the constitution
This act and every amendment 70 /. Tor
meeting the necessities OF the people
had received hA support. The Object
Of the bill was TO cheaper the trans
portation. to provide open competition
in trade, ana equal facilities for trans
porlation to the markets ofthe world by
the cheapest, swiNest and most natural
mode TO let il run to the sea, as II comes
from the bowels Of the earth impcl.ed
By its own forces
To the constitutional objections raised
by Senator Herr and other opponents OF
the bill. Senator Dill argued that the leg
islature has already granted the Prly!-
lege Of conveying oil in pipes IN eight
counties oithe state. As this privilege
had been exercised for years and had
been sustained by the courts the qoos-
ton of consututionality cannot now
be raised. Senator Dill thea described
in strong terms the oppressive character
Of the Standard monopoly who have
complete control Of the market buying
the crude oil when they want to buy,
not when the producer wishes 20 sell,
and selling refined oil shen they have
manipulated prices 50 as 10 su.; them.
He concluded: Therefore | favor this
bill-it is free pipe law-like the free
railroad law-the free telegraph law
the day Of special and exclusive pT'vl-
leges has passed away. The oil produc>
ers have the right to demand the priyi-
leges proposed to be granted by this bill,
and they look to it as aiTording the only
means ofrelieffrom almost intolerable
burdens, and am for it."