Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-04-19

chased an exclusive right of way. No new
company can cross their lines, and without
cross ny them, no new company can get
either to the oil wells, or to the seaboard.
Tne monopoly owns double Gordon of
lines that cut off all competition, and they
have determined to refine tie oil Of Penn
sylvania in their great relinerics at
Cleveland. Ohio aud New York. Under
the proposed free pipe line bill the Stand
ard as we'll as any competing company
woult. be obi .ed as common carriers to
transport oil for producers or purchasers
to such points along their lines as they may
want it; but under the existing law the
monopoly is not obliged to do SO they
carefully avoid Philadelphia aud other
Pennsylvania cities, aud carry the oil be
yOnd our borders.
The speaker said if the pipe line bill
passes the Legislature there will be no new
pipe liue laid because it will not be neces-
sary but the passage of the bill will bring
the mOnOpOlists to terms and compel them
to DO their duty and treat Pennsylvania
refiuers fairly, aud thus prevent the con-
StructiOn OF new line.
There has been some question RAISED
as to the power of the Legislature To grant
the right of eminent domain to pipe line
company, but the speaker had no doubt
of its power to do SO, because it is 4 pub
lie use, to protect the people from a mon
strous monopoly. The Standard oil COM
pany commenced business on capital Of
500, 900, and have increased it to $50, 900.
600, besides declaring immense dividends.
While this great company has grown rich
on the products of Pennsylvania, tho pro-
ducers have grown poor. There eau be
no doubt that the people possess the pow.
er to protect themselves from biighting
monopolies, whether foreign or domestic,
and the courts have decided that they do
possess the power to grant the right Of
eminent domain.
"Will this proposed pipe limo be an i'll
jury to Lancaster county ?" has been
asked. The National Transit company,
which is only another name for the Stan
dard oil company, has already secured an
exclusive right of way through the north
ecn part of this county. Why did they
want an exclusive right? Simply to pre-
vent any competing line from being
built to interfere with their mOnop-
oily. They assured the people from whom
they purchased the right of way that there
was no possible damage that could come
to them from its construction. 1t is only
when free pipe line bill is before the Leg
islature that they report breaks in Stand
ard oil pipes, outside of the state, AID
attempt to scare the people into belief
that there is danger. They want you to
Instruct your representatives ut Harris
burg to vote against tho bill, 50 that they
may have continuance of tho monopoly
they possess. MIR. Leo In conclusion
called upon any one in the audience who
wished to ask any questions on any
point that he had not made plain to speak
out. and he would try to make it palmer.
Mr.. Il. j. Houston asked what was the
relative cost per barrel of transporting oil
from the wells to Philadelphia by rail and
by pipe line.
Mr.. Lee said he could not give the
exact figures, but that was a part of the
subject which would be discussed by Mr..
Emery, who was to follow him. In coEclu-
sion Mr. Lee called attention to the fact
that the Standard company had escaped
almost all taxation on its enormous
wealth, because i. could only be taxed ON
that portion of it's capital employed in
this state and thus Pennsylvania, tho
greatest producer of oil, receives little or
no benefit from 1.-THE enormous profits
going into the pockets of a monopoly hos
tile to Pennsylvania interests.
SENATOR EMERY's SPEECH.
The Hydra-Headed Monopoly Arra,gned
Senator Lewis Emery. of McKean coun
ty, was introduced by Mr.. Martin. He
said it might seem strange to some people
that senators from the Legislature of
Pennsylvania should appear here 20 argue
q <,,,octinv, fhak chnrp1A ha nrr,poH i,,f tho
Senate. But it has become a necessity with
those Of the northwestern counties of Penn
sylvauia to protect the interests Of 10000
men, engaged in the production of oil and
of 200, 900 men who have been employed
in one way Or other in it's manufacture,
| from the ruin brought upon them by ths
most grasping monopoly that over afflicted
a people. The Standard oil company is a
hydra headed monster with many names
| the National Transit company and tht
South Improvement company being
some of them. Tho managers al
the head of these companies are
at the head of the Standard
| When oil was discovered in Venango
county, and for several years afterward,
any man could produce and transport il
wherever he pleased the railroads carry
| ing it at fair prices. In 1872 a contract
| was made between the Pennsylvania rail
road company and 12 men in Cleveland
representing the Standard oil company, by
which certain drawbacks were to be al
lowed them as transporters, and the rail
road was to CO operate with them to make
the business lucrative. Similar contracts
were subsequently made with the Northern
Central and Erie railroads, and all thest
railroads allowed rebates to the STANDARD
companies which enabled them to crust
out all competing transpOrters Of oil. MIR
Emery then followed in much tho sam,
line of thought as given by Mr.. Lee il
showing how the Standard fattened on tn,
ruin of Pennsylvania refineries, which hat
| to go under or compete with the STANDARD
at disadvantage of $1.06 per barrel o
| oil, the rebate to tho Standard being in ;
single year $1G9, 900. He then read from
! statistics showing the immense losses sus
tanned by Pennsylvania labor and capita
by the exclusive privileges and usur
pations of the Standard. He aeked
| if Pennsylvania should be robbed oi
these profits and Of the tax that
all others except tho Standard company
are obliged to pay. He held that the com
pany to-day owes tho state So, 600, 900, no,
| cent of which can be collected, because
it was chartered by Ohio, and is moi
therefore amenable to Pennsylvania law.
Mr.. Emery denounced in tho most vehem
ent manner the tools of the Standard
company, who were circulating reports
that he and Senator Lee were supporting
the pipe line bill through mercenary mo
tives, and be dared the man or men (ii
they were presently, who had distributed
circulars at the door of the court house