The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-02-04

some Correspondence Relative to
the Michigan Test.
Correspondence 20 Grand Rapid. Eagle.

Eagle OF the lOtu lust., hn hrticie REFER
ring to the Standard Oil Company and
its operations in Michigan, and having
had my turn with the said company, in
which came out second best, / feel
an interest in the Legislation that the
people of Michigan have a right to ex-
pect this winter. In the hope OF af-
fording some light on the subject, sub
NIT the following few remarks:
10 is presumed that the majority of
the consumers of kerosene oil in the
state OF Michigan are not aware Of the
manner in which they are bled by that
grinding monopoly-the Standard Oil
company.
You, of course, are all aware that
your state law is very stringent as to
the test and quality of the oil which
may be sold within its limits. This is
perfectly proper, so long as the law is
not oppressive. Let us compare the
requirements of your law with those OF
other states.
We find that nine-tenths OF all the
refined oil sold for use at home and
abroad stands a burning test of-but
l10o.
Your statute prescribes q fash test
OF l409 in closed cup--a test which
is equal 10 a burning test OF 1863 by
the open cup or approved method Of
testing for all export oil and for all
states except Michigan.
Now the question naturally arises,
why are the lives Of the people OF
Michigan so much more valuable than
those OF the balance OF the world?
When it is known that oil that will
stand your test is very diflicult to make,
and can be produced in but small
quantities, and the s. q. Co. combina-
are the only parties who can furnish
this oil in any quantity, you will readi-
ly see that il is not so much the safety
OF the good people Of Michigan that
warns the heart OF this grinding mon
opoly, as the desire Of gain.
No state IN the Union requires a
higher burning test than 1909 by the
open cup or generally approved method
Of testing. Now any one at all conver-
SAINT with the nature OF refined petrol
oum will admit that for all practical
purposes this test Of 1909 is perfectly
safe.
One object in publishing this article
is TO show to the people Of Michigan
that they are made to pay au exorbi-
tant price for the oil they consume,
simply to crafty the greed Of a grasp
ing monopoly, aud not because of any
tender regard which these leeehes have
for the lives and safety OF the people.
All dealers and consumers of oil
should use their utmost efforts to have
this oppressive law repealed and one
substituted for il which will not only
protect the lives of the people, but will
give them a safe oil at a fair price, and
open the gates of competition to all
manufacturers. Z. TRoLEUN.
The Eagle prints letter from a mer-
chant in western Michigan. whom it
endorses as a reliable and responsible
citizen. as follows:
81 will give You little item. About
a year ago / ordered % barrels of an
outside brand (of oiD from Chicago.
The fact was reported by telegraph
from a Chicago spy 10 our State In.
spector, who, by telegraph TO our local
deputy inspector, orde,ed hirl peremp-
torily 20 inspect and condemn the lot. ,
saw the order. The depaty inspector
approved il, and the oil was entitled TO
il. Singular as the fact may appear,
he still retains his appointment, and /
don't think he will be removed"
The Eagle adds: Perhaps the State
Inspector will explain or deny his con
nection with the above, ss, If the facts
are correctly stated, it looks little
mixed, sort of cross between an
honest and faithful state official and an
agent of the Standard Oil company,
with strong tendency to breed back
TO the agent
A correspondent Of the Kalamazoo
Telegraph gives his views on the oil
question, as follows:
That the oil business in Michigan is
conducted and controlled by an oil
ring, | have no doubt; but how 10
break II is the question. 1t appears to
me the only way is through the Legis-
lature. We send what we suppose are
our best men 10 look after our affairs,
and what is the RESULT Along comes
professor OF science, chemistry, or
theory of something else, who has a
NNAl~hOAhtAA IItHtnA. ~
to the Legislature. They think it
sounds fair, and as Mr.. Professor
ought 10 know. it is passed by them,
and becomes a law. In 1869 law Was
passed to the effect that oil should
bear the test OF 10 degrees, Fahren-
heits thermometer, and that the in
spectors should receive four cents for
the inspection of each and every barrel,
cask, or package.
In 1873 the laws was changed TO 100
deg. f., and the price for inspection to
ten cents for each and every package.
In 1875 the best OF oil was reduced
to l40 and the compensation of the
inspectors was raised and classed thus:
One bbl., forty cents; under five, thir-
ty cents; over five and under ten,
twenty-five cents; and ten cents for
each additional barrel, keg, or pack
age.
In 1877 the price Of inspection was
again raised, and classed nearly n
above: Single barrel, sixty cents; not
exceeding five, forty cents; not exceed.
ing ten, thirty cents; and ten cents for
each additional package in lots less
than a carload Of fifty barrels or pack
ages.
Why is IL that the compensation Of
inspectors is raised 10 such an exorbi-
tant price? Mainly, because merchants
and Wholesale dealers are in the ring,
and are bound 10 crush out those who
want 10 buy by the barrel
In 1869, when everything was high,
the inspectors could afford to inspect
for four years; then the price was rails
ed 10 ten cents, and they did the work
two years for that; aud now, when
everything 10 eat, drink and wear is
about half price, and many things less,
the Legislature allows the inspectors
| fifteen times as much as at first. Where
IL the justice, and who is 10 blame?
cannot trace ID beyond the Legislature.
If the members are duped by the oil
ring, so much the worse for them; il in
the oil ring, the question is solved.
Another thing quite mysterious-thai
any oil inspected outside OF this state
will not bear the test here believe
that oil refined in Illinois, or any other
state bearing the test OF 1909 Fahren-
heit's Thermometer. ought 10 do the
same in Michigan, aud would IL there
was no humbug in the testers. A mer.
chant in town was about TO buy oil in
Chicago; he bought samples for in,
spection, one 170o, and the other
lT5 20; the inspector tired them with
his tester, and the l75e would just q
14Oo Michigan test.
] Al y a Il