The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-29
OIL TRUSTS REVENGE.
South Dakota People Must Pay for
Passing Test Law.

Pierre, S. D., June 29-July 1 the price
of every gallon Of kerosene sold by the
Standard Oil company in South Dakota
will be advanced a cent and a half be
cause the South Dakota legislature last
winter passed a law requiring all kero-
sene sold IN the state to meet a stan
dard test. The people. therefore will
pay hereafter from $50 600 to 100000 a
year premium to the bank account of
John D. Rockefeller
The report of the state oil inspectors
for 1902 shows that ?, 400. .357 gallons of
kerosene We're inspected. Practically
all of this came from the refneries Of
the Standard Oil company. On the sales
Of 1902 an advance of a cent and a half
a gallon would have netted the oil trust
a premium of S36 005.31 With the
growth of the state this amount viii in
crease yearly.
This tax was visited on the state be-
cause it dared to deny the trust the
privilege of selling any kind of oil it
wanted to in the state. After July no
kerosene can be sold that will not pass
a 46 degree gravity test The test was
fixed under the recommendation of Pro
fessOr l. E Alxeley of the chair of
chemistry in the University of South
Dakota a Nermillion and others famil-
lar with the manufa cture of kerosene.
1t was adopted because it was the be-
lief of those recommending it that ii is
the lowest test that viii insure even
satisfactory oil to the people The
enactment of the law followed COM
plants throughout the state.
The announcement of the advance in
the price of kerosene for this state was
made by J. A Green. manager for the
Standard Oil company at Sioux City, Ia.
Have you been selling in South DakoJa
any grade of oil that Will meet the 46
gravity test?" Mr.. Green was asked
when he announced the increase.
giving the nPQnle
one grade testing that well or better,
he answered.
Twin the price Of that grade be ad-
vanced?"
this grade has been sold in barrels al
most altogether. Now we must put II
in the tank wagons, which IS more eX-
pensive We have various grades of oil
testing as high as 49 gravity. Some OF
them are necessarily lower than that
test But if all the states We've to de-
mand only the better grades Of oil where
would it come from p
The excuse of the Standard that the
price must be raised because the oil
must be put in the tank wagons for-sale
instead of barrels viii not be accepted
hy the people. OF 6T7 towns in the state
there are but twenty-four having over
600 inha bitants. The combined pOpu-
lation Of these towns is $780, being but
hree-seventeenths of the states popu-
lation of 401, $40. The people will con-
tjnle to believe that the great majority
of kerosene oil sold in South Dakota IS
sold from barrels in the small stores
on the other hand, the South Dako-
tans insist that they were compelled TO
pass the bill because the STANDARD
trust persisted in foisting d poor grade
of oil on the state.
Prof Akeley in explanation of the
necessity for the new test law, said
1.-THE law requires that no kerosen-
shall be sold in the state that does not
stand a 46 degee Baume test In re-
fning crude oil the lighter substances
are distilled off for gasoline and SIM
liar oils The intermediate weights are
reserved for lighting oil. or kerosene,
while the heaviest are used for lubri-
eating oils. The manufacturers of kerO-
scne might run in some of the lighter
substances to make the hyrometer read
right, or add heavier compounds III
short it is possible to make the gravity
just as the manufacturer pleases.
ITO prevent the manufacturers from
making kerosene too light, which
would result in an easily exploded oil.
the fash test has been in use here and
in other states to determine at what
temperature the vapOr will take fire
Il do not understand that the new
law Will require the Standard Oil CONS
pany to pay any more for inspection
The oil must now be inspected to pass
the flash test and the expense will be
pra ctically no greater than when it Is
subjected to two tests