St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-14
IF. w. FOOTE'S GRAFT.
His Income to E3e of Princely Di-
mansions.

His Income to lie of Princely Di-
mansions.
For 10, these many years, colossal
incubus upon the public, and all engine
for richly paying the debts of the Re-
publican party, has been the Office of
state oil inspector. 1t has always been
the sheerest sinecure, and the shocking
incidents of three years ago are still
fresh in the minds of the public. With
some 100000 barrels of oil to inspect,
and all fees to be covered into the state
treasury, over ana above the s., 400 to be
retained by the inspector as his compen-
sation, nothing was realized by the
state. Not only this, but the actual in
spections were done by the oil COM
panieS themselves and not by the in
SpectOrS.
Yesterday forenoon House File 612,
fixing the fees and giving these fees
entire TO the inspector, came UP for final
passage. Mr.. Foote had done his work
well. and the bill went through without
amendments. 1t is conceded on all
hands that the plum will fall in his
basket, and his income from the fees
will probably reach from $4,000 to $780,
900 year.
Senator LeaVitt Fought Vigorously.
Senator Leavitt fought the bill vigOr-
ouSly. He saw an opportunity for the
oil inspector to make a princely salary.
Taking the number of barrels of oil that
the friends of the bill claim were sold
in the state last year, the inspector
would realize $4,000 upon the rates
fixed in the bill. He was aStoniShed
that there is no more oil sold in Mime
sofa, but upon that basis, he contended,
the inspection fees are many times too
much. He moved to amend by reducing
fee to five cents barrel, and he insisted
that this would pay 81 a tank that takes
only few minutes to inspect. The in
spector does not need an expert. Any
man of common sense can fill the office,
and Mr.. Leavitt raised the point that to
paw him S12 tank is unreasonable.
Senator March said that when drawn
from the tanks into the barrels these
barrels have to be branded by the in
spector without additional fees, where
ubon Mr.. LeaVitL called attention TO the
use of old barrels repeatedly, but MI.
March said there was an inhibitOTy
clause making such use of barrels a
crime, and Senator Hompe urged at
length that the bill would work hard
| shin upOn consumers for the reason that
| it will greatly add to the cost OF oil.
Senator LeaVitt had consulted Senator
| StreiSsguth, who had served as oil in
spectOr. The latter asserted that tank
| of oil can be Inspected and the eighty
| barrels branded in an hour and fifteen
minutes. The barrels are marked with
stencil, and Mr.. LeaVitt maintained that
| 81 would be liberal pay for the work.
The Poor Country Inspector.
Senator Tawney argued from the
country town aspect, where only small
quantities Of oil are inspected, and
where the fees will amount to very
little. Senator Daugherty explained
that the larger proportion of the oil is
| brought via the lakes ard landed al
| West Superior, where it is distributed
| and he was informed by Senator law
| ney that there is no inspection in Wis
| consin. and that the oil has to be in
| spected where sold. Mr. TaWney spoke
| of the number of miles travelled by in
| spectors, whereupOn Senator O'Brien
| said the inspector gets 10 cents mile
| both ways, and Senator Leavitt said
| this alone would provide good salary.
ut is only a scheme to give some pol
| itician fat thing. the same as the office
of oil inspector has always DONE" said
| Mr.. Leavitt. Afttr further discussion
| the amendment was lost.
The Senator Dennelly sent up an
| amendment, providing that the cOul-
| pensatiOn shall not exceed a stated sum.
| He left the amount blank for consider
alton. This was defeated, and Senator
| McHale, in explaining his vote, said he
thought the ouly method of securing
any inspection is to permit the inspect.
ors to rob the people. Senator March
reviewed the old system, under which
the inspectors received salary of 81, 400
a year, and the balance of the fees were
| TO be turned into the state treasury, and
not a dollar was turned in. He said
not till the state secures a Democratic
gOvernment-an honest government
would he vote for such Il system.
Senator Leavitt then moved to cut
down the barrel inspection to five cents,
but this was also lost, and the bill went
through "huking'' on vote of 43 ayes
and noes.