Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-04-20
1a1,caster fntelligenrer.
whv Should 1t Not!

why Should 1t Not! III,
u,.r. mo think that there should be
fras ox;t allowed to the petroleum OF the
state to the gates of commerce. yeI we
zee no good reason why pennsylvania
should not reserve to herself the proht
Of refining this great product OF her soli
and obtain lal re revenue from its tax
ations.
Lake Erie, the Allegheny Delaware ana
Snsouehanna rivers and the canals 1ur-
nish ample outlets for the oil that Is con,
viewed to their banks. Why then snouio
not the pipe lines, that are chartered oy
the state and given its right OF eminent
domain, with which to force their way
to navigable waters, be confined to term
inal points upon navigable waters within
the state? Why should Pennsylvahia
nil chiefly be refined in New York and
Ohio? The Standard oil company AN
Ohio corporation. has so manipulated
the oil trade as TO carry out of the state
the business of refining nearly the whole
of this peculiar product OF her SOIL. Is
PENNSYLVANIA defenseless under its duty
not to interfere with free commerce be-
tween the states We certainty think
not.
The Legislature is perfectly aware
that the state is not getting the revenue
il should derive from mineral supply
of which it has practically a
monopoly. Nor are its citizens get
ting the profit which it forbears
collecting. A tax on the oil issuing
from the wells would be borne by the
foreign consumer, and its imposition
would be no detriment to the oil prod"'
Ger, though it would be an embarrass
ment to the speculator whose capital
would be locked up in the tax. TIE
state has perfectly legitimate opportu
nity to make the people of the whole
world, who are the consumers OF lis
petroleum, pay the cost of its govern
ment. Why should it not avail itself OF
it? What good reason exists for alb
staining from the imposition of large
tax ON crude oil ? 1t wonld be a tax
readily collected; it would be widely
diffused would bear lightly on the in
diyidual consumer and would fall main
lyon other than our own citizens. Ii
would be proper to make the foreigner
bear it he gets cheaper and bettel
light in petroleum than he can find II
ANYTHING else, and as Pennsylvania give:
it to him can lie complain that the STATE
gets profit from it :?
And why should not our Legislature
increase the business and wealth of tn
state by providing that the peculla
facility of conveyance possible for tn
oil in pipes, which is so much cheape
than its transportation on railroads, sial
be permitted to it only when 1t de
liyers the oil to water transporta
tion within the state? The Legislator
has control of the matter, sine
no one can lay down these pipes withou
obtaining its authority. Those who asl
for a charter for such purpose may prol
erly be limited to do such things as tn
LEGISLATURE considers to be for the inter
est of the state and its people. 1t ma
demand proper equivalents for its grant
and impose proper restrictions upo
their exercise. Would it not be prOpe
to enact that the oil pipes shall te
inmate in Pennsylvania They are al
thorized to begin there, and why ma
they not be limited to end there
The water communications Of the Sal
with the world are amply sufficient
give free exit to the oil. The pipes ma
carry their contents to rail or water; bl
why should Pennsylvania be permitte
by its Legislature to be a mere condu
for the passage of the product OF III
soil to manufactures in other state
when she has within her own borde
equally as good points for the locatl(
of refineries and the expectation of the
manufacture !? Why should she perm
the manipulation of a foreign corpol
tiOn to divert from its natural lOcatlt
upon her own soil the manufacture OF
own product Once Pennsylvania refine
and exported nearly all its oil, b
now only a small part of 1t; Al
this result is due not to natural but
artificial causes, set to work by a te
men Of another state, who have ma
aged to control Il product of Penns,
vania which its Legislature holds in t
hollow of it's hand. Will not the Legi
lature use its power to recover for Il
state and its people the revenue al
profit which Is justly theirs ? The
ought to be no hesitation in making Il
attempt and with men 50 intellige
and earnest in seeking the interest
the state as our present representative
there should be no difficulty in rightil
a matter which is manifestly wrong.
MaryeilOusly Miserable.