Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-09-08
MORE EXPENSIVE KEROSENE.
Query as to Why South Dakota Cor
sumers Pay More Than Other Pee


query as to why South Dakota Con
sumers Pay More Than Other Pec-
pie.
Fl wonder how long the people of
South Dakota will continue to pay this
extra 3 or cents a gallon for their
kerosene, without getting any greater
safety or better service" commented
d traveller as he looked up from his
newspaper.
One of his listeners remarked that
consumers probably would have to pay
whatever producers might demand.
Perhaps that's true, as general
proposition" was the reply. "Particu-
larry is it true where a less expensive
produce is barred from the markets.
AS understand it from some newspa-
per reading / have been doing, this
extra charge Of or cents gallon is
peculiar to South Dakota, and it is due
entirely to a law passed by the last
legislature, that cuts out of the mar
ket of this state all the oil from the
great fields of Kansas and Indiana,
which can be furnished ait cheaper
rate than now charged. and compels
the people to buy Pennsylvania oil,
which is more expensive"
us the Kansas or Indiana oil Just as
good?p
That is what the experts say. They
declare it to be just as safe, and
that 1t furnishes absolutely as good
Illumination, and is as satisfactory in
every particular"
Then how can 1t be furnished more
cheaply ?"
because the crude supply is much
more copious, and the methods of re-
flning are less expensive, and the
freight rates are lower from either the
Indiana or the Kansas fields than from
Pennsylvania.
But how can this South Dakota
statute cut these Kansas and Indiana
oils ont of the market and compel the
people to buy the expensive Pennsyl-
vania oil?''
Well, you see. the Pennsylvania
oil is slightly heavier than the others
and the gravity test fixed by statute
is just sufficient to let it in and keep
the less expensive Kansas and Indiana
oils out. The small difference in grav-
ity. amounting to only one or two de-
grees. cuts absolutely no figure what
ever in the safety or the sufficiency Of
the OIL The difference In the gravity
of the Eastern and Western oils is
due wholly to the difference in the
crude petroleum as it comes from the
ground, and not at all to any differ
ence in refining just, for instance, as
the soft wheat grown in South Dakota
differs from the hard wheat OF North
Dakota"
You think, then, that this law
against selling the lighter oil is on
par with legislation prohibiting the
sale Of soft-wheat -four, thus COMPEL
ing consumers to buy the North Da-
kota product instead of the South Da-
kotA product?"
Precisely. 1t is all right to enact
laws TO prevent sale of unwholesome
or fraudulent -four, or unsafe or adul-
terated kerosene, or anything else that
may be dangerous or counterfeit. But
it isn't right to enact laws which do
not afford any such protection, but
merely compel people to pay more for
the light they use in their homes, Of
fees and stores. Z
@You suspect. then, that that South
Dakota legislation Of 1903, regarding
gravity test of kerosene, must have
leen lobbied through by somebody
who wanted to open up an exclusive
market out here for oil which on its
own merits and price couldn't com
pete with the Indiana or Kansas oils?''
Well, don't believe that any legis-
lature, entirely on its own original
motion would enact law which bene-
ATS nobody but those who deal exclu-
lsively in high-priced oil. and which
law compels consumers to buy that
Or nothing, but still gives no additional
safety or service.