Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-07-02

and besides, reap this harvest, while
deceiving the world in regard to an un-
limited supply ready to be brought to
the surface. Not only the production,
but the field has become limited. |
venture this statement and chal-
lenge denial, that in all the counties OF /
PENNSYLVANIA and New York where |
oil has been produced in large quanti-
ties, there is not now remaining a spot
half as large as the Bradford field that
is not punctured with dry holes and
further, that more than seven-eights OF
all the oil of this territory has been
taken out, unless perchance there
should be a sub-deposit, which does
not seem propable.
But in reply you say stocks, stocks
too many stocks. There are no more
stocks than are necessary TO the healthy
condition of so large trade, and to
prevent violent Quotations which your
movement is designed to,create. What
is II or Is months supply of oil when
it is so safely and cheaply stored! 1t
is estimated that in this country there
is constantly on hand a three years
supply of tea. This stock Is not too
great for natural market. | therefor
take no stock in your stock argument.
The law of supply and demand must
regulate the oil business, as 1t does all
other industries. This is the natural
law of exchange, and you cannot vio-
late it without incurring It's penalty,
any more than you can violate with I'M
punity the laws of nature. Both may
be obstructed for time, but in the end
their demands are inexorable. No
great product, agricultural or mechanic
al required by the world can be restrict
ed by such measures as you propose
| believe that such efforts will only re-
turn to plague those who try to enforce
them. This most certainly has been
true in regard to all past efforts of this
kind, and they have not been few IN
the oil business. The disasters that
have followed in the wake of these wild
schemes in the past should be sufficient
experience for one generation.
A MORE SERIOUS RESULT.
Another, and most serious if not
cruel result, which does not seem to
have been considered by your assocla-
tion, is the case of the laborer and me-
chanic. What provision is made for
the employe or what will ne reap IN
this harvest? If you take into account
the men required to team, to build rigs,
to drill wells, and to pump the same,
together with the employees in the tube
and casing works, in engine and boiler
shops, in tool and rope manufacture,
beside the production of iron, lumber
and all the material which the trade is
constantly using, and you will have an
array of workers 10, 900 strong. What
provisions shall be made for these!
While you are enriching yourselves
are these ten thousand workingmen to
starve? And what are the manufac-
turers to get for stopping their works
What interest Oh their vested capital
1t will require millions to pay these for
lost time and capital and keep many Of
them from beggary and want.
Again, the remedy you seek, even If
all right in other respects, could never
be adjusted to the diversified interests
of the producers. Space and time will
not allow me to enter this field OF OBJ
lection further than to say that existing
contracts in regard to developments,
drainage of territory, equalizing of pro-
duction on adjoining farms, properly
adjusted all this and more between diff
ferent classes, rich and poor, debtor and
creditor, can never be accomplished by
your committee or any other. 1t Is to
be presumed that there are none IN this
movement who are preparing, as some
did that made persistent effort to en-
force rig tax, by building many rigs
in advance l know that many whose
names are on the list before me would
spurn to do this.
CAUSES OF THE DEPRESSION.
One Of the chief causes of the present
depression has been the mystery busi-
ness. The papers inform me that the
next meeting of your association will
be in Warren As the mystery fraud
was first successfully practiced there,
permit me to suggest that you take
measures while in session to eifectually
suppress it, 1t has been this swindle
more than anything else that has driven
outside capitalists from the business.
1t has made legitimate business
cheat, deception and fraud. 1t has
demoralized great trade and brought
reproach upon large class OF men en-
gagged in an honorable pursuit. Con-
template it for a moment in all its
hideous proportions; men barricading
derricks, defending them with shot
guns, bull dogs and pistols; these bush
whackers are met by an army of scouts
or guerrillas; both classes are preying
upon an innocent and prosperous COM
munity, desolating, financially, thous-
ands of homes. Suppose that all indus
tries were conducted in this way, and
that deception and fraud were written
as plainly over the gateway of every
business establishment as it is on bar
rcaded derrick, how long could society
or government exist ? la fact if such
practices as have been endured in the
oil regions were permitted in all the
branches of industry, foreign and
domestic, our present form of govern
ment would soon yield to anarchy.
1t is time, and high time, that this
brigandage should case 1t is not half
SO important to stop the drill as it is to
check these land pirates, or send them
to Macksburg to drill for salt water.
/ know not how to characterize one of
the resolutions passed by your associa-
tion at Bradford on the 18th inst,
which reads as follows: Resolved,
that we shall regard the owners of any
rig, in which string of tools is swing
ing on the first day Of August next, or
resuming operations before the expira-
ton of the time set, as public and priv
ate enemies.u also placjnp in "tbe same