The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-02-27
AMONG THE SOL ONS.
Several Items Of Interest Picked
UD for Gazette Readers.

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Several Items Of Interest Picked
Up for Gazette Readers.
/ The bill placing the Office of oil
inspector on the salary basis. which
recently passed the house, has been
pushed out of the senate committee
on retrenchment and reform, and
will probably come up for consider
alton in that body before this letter
is given publicity The bill will
never pass the senate in the condi-
/ ton it was IN when it was carried
lover to that body from the house.
The constitu tionalitv of the measure
| is in grave doubt, while the lower
ing. of the fee for inspection, it is
argued, and it must be admitted
| with great effect, will only not re-
duce the price of kerosene oil to the
consumers, but will add about $10,-
900 a year to the already overstocked
Iexchenuer of the Standard Oil com
pany. Among the dissenters to the
measure in it's present condition is
Senator Somerville ofthe Nineteenth
district, Whosis regarded as one of
the best lawyers in that body. He
Ientertains grave doubts as to the
constitutionality of the bill and says
that he will never vote for it as it.
has been ordered out by the COM
mittee on retrenchment and reform
in his wing of the capitol. And then
again. he says, Il do not believe in
legislating about $4,000 per year
into the pockets of the Rockefeller
syndicate, and that is just what this
bill will do. The provision for a
reduction Of the inspection fee, L re-
gard as not only pernicious. in be-
ing a provision that will add wealth
to the. Standard Oil Co., but also a
provision that will not lessen, in
the least, the price of oil to the con-
sumers. .
In this connection it might be
we'll to add that, the sentiment at
the capitol is becoming quite strong
for the revising of what is known as
the Hurd bill, now before the Sen
ate, and preparing it so that there will
be no doubt as to it's constitution
ality, and to enact it into a law that
will become effective on Jan. 1st,
1903. Inasmuch as there are many
intricate matters in connection with
the placing Of the oil inspector on
the salary basis at the present time,
this plan is deemed advisable and
good politics.
Inasmuch as there has been some
criticism on the negative vote OF the
house on the Hard bill it will be
but fair to state that there are two
sides to the question, aud with the
bill really throwing $500 a year
into the pockets of the Standard Oil
Co., and the constitutionality of the
measure being in doubt, as many
are now willing to admit, it will be
observed that the negative side
really has the best of it. That the
oil inspector should be placed on a
salary basis, no one denies, but that
basis should not be created so that
it will benefit a trust as dominating
and wealthy as is the Standard Oil
Co.
Albert B. Cornell, postmaster at
Hewitt, Mimi, was the guest Of the
writer recently The name will
sound familiar to many of the old
residents Of Redwood Falls and Pax
ton townships, and particularly to
those who were pupils in the. Red
wood Falls schools over 20 wears
ago. Mr.. Cornell resided with his
parents east of the city prior to
1879. and then moved into TODD
county, where he has since resided.
After leaving Redwood he engaged
in booming logs along the rivers Of
northern Minnesota. Concluding
that it was a tough life he took up a
home study course, fitting himself
for teaching school, and plodded
along until he placed himself and
family in fairly good circumstances.
He is now engaged in travelling for
a book company and dealing in
northern Minnesota real estate,
aside from conducting the postof6ce
lat Hewitt, Mr.. Cornell asked to be
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