The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-02-18
Harrisburg Letter.

visited this section OF Inc stale more than I
week ago 1t seems that the authorities of
this city pay no attention 10 the matter Of
policing the streets and keeping the cross
ings in even a reasonably fair condition.
The dailies keep you posted on the pro-
gress Of legislation, 80 that | need say but
little on that subject Harrisburg has been
swarming with lobbyists during the eniile
week. Publication houses have them here
to prevent any change II. the method of
supplying school books. They are here 10
work for legislation favorable to the working
classes-notably the Miners Association of
the State. A goodly number are on hand to
work, for and against. the proposed revision
of the Revenue laws of the Commonwealth
The various institutions of the Stale asking
for appropriations have forces at work in
their several interests Oil operators are
here, some favoring and some opposing the
attempt that is being made 10 force the
Standard Oil Co. TO transmit their produc-
tions TO the markets al fixed rates, below
their present schedule Of prices, and TO re-
duce the price charged for storing the same
in the tanks provided for that purpose by
the company. On Wednesday evening a
hearing was given by the Senate Finance
Committee TO all persons interested in the
last named measure. To one nnacquainied
with the claims as presented by both parties
in interest, il would seem from the arsu-
ments on one side that the Standard OIL Co
is gigantic something that stands ready to
throttle every interest that comes in lis way,
and that it is, with high hand, expressing
and depressing the citizens OF the State,
wrestling from wageworkers the honest fruit
of their toll, aad saying TO business men.
especially in their own line, Keep out of
our way, or prepare to hand in your cheeks
The arguments on the other side impress
you that this same corporation is an isSti-
tuition conceived in charity and founded in
beneyolence that it sprung into existence
from a necessity existing in the natlre Of
things" that it entered upon its course of
benevolence 10 mankind at time whei, for
want Of organized effort, the oil inleress of
the State were langnishing; when there was
no market for the surplus product, and wien
producers who had spent millions of dollrs
| in the development of the oil territory If
the State were in great danger of losing then
] invest ments, and the whole industry was il
| danger of being overhrown, and that by tbs
/ combination of capital it has succeeded
in providing cheap transportation for the
commodity to the seaboard, where, by the
use of scientific appliances, too expensive
for individual operators to employ, it has
put in operation extensive oil refneries, by
/ the aid of which the crude product is pre-
pared for the market at a price SO low that
the American dealers can control the mar
kets of the world, and sell their product
even in Russia-where the oil fields are as
extensive and fertile as any found in this
country-at price so low as to render Rus
sian capitalists unable to compete with
them in their own markets. The result Of
this, they argue, is 10 bring into this country
millions of dollars from foreign lands, which
employs thousands of men and in various
ways brings cheer and comfort into hun
dreds Of American homes.
discussion is the disagreement among local
producers. Some of them argue that unless
the Stale interferes and reduces the rates
charged by the company for transportation
and storage, they will be obliged 10 give up
the business, as there is no profit left them
for their production Of crude oil. Other
producers of the same class, with equal
earnestness, insist that any interference on
the part of the State will strike death -blog
to them. They say that if these rates are
reduced below what they are now paying,
or If the company is compelled 10 accept a
price fixed by law, its pipes will be taken
away from all the small producers, and with
no transportation equally low in price with
that which this company affords, their busi
ness will be broken down aud maRy of them
will be driven into bankruptcy. With such
conflicting statements from parties whose
interests are identical, ii is difficult for the
uninitiated to tell where the fault lies, OF
whether any at all exists. One thing is
certain, and that is, whether anybody is
making money out Of the oil product or lot,
the consumer can not complain, for it has
been noticeable in the past that, with the
increase of the facilities of the Standard Oil
| Co for Transporting and refining petroleum,
there has been a steady decrease in the price
of refined oil, until to-day our houses all
over this land are made bright with the
cheapest light sunlight alone excepted that
a beneficent Creator ever gave to man.
On Tuesday evening the House Committee
on Ways and Means gave bearing to the
Pennsylvania r. r. Co. on the subject Of
tax legislation now pending. Col. Jordan,
of Philadelphia, appeared FIR the company,
and all who heard him lefs the committee
room with the impression that if no stronger
argument could be made against the Rev
enue Commissions bill than he mlde, the
corporations of the State would either have
TO resort TO the old method of purchasing
its defeat or give up the ghost. The weight
of his argument simply was that the State
was prospering under the present system Of
taxation that our benevolent institutions
are being sustained and new ones being built
up; that our courts of justice have held their
place, to restrain evil and protect society.
and hence no change in the law TO provide
revenue for all these purposes is needed He
failed to say one word either in recognition
or denial of the fact that while out State
government in all its departments has main
tanned its efficiency. and our various local
interests have kept pace with the progress of
the time, certain classes of property have
borne an unjust share Of the burden, and
a portion of the population OF our Common
wealth have enjoyed prosperity that is the
result of sacrifices which the present tax
laws of the State require part of the people
to make for the benefit of the whole.
Since my last communication representa-
tive Miller, from your county, has offered a
bill TO fix the measure and weight of the
standard bushel OF charcoal which was re-
ported favorably and at this date is on
second reading. Also bill amending The
life and fire insurance laws OF the State SO
as to exempt from certain provision of the
same beneficial orders doing business ON the
/ fraternal or lodge system. The latter hin