Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-09-01
MORE EXPENSIVE KEROSENE
Why South Dakota Consumers Pay
More for It Than Other People
Western Oil Excluded by Statute.

Sioux City Tribune; II wonder how
long the people Of South Dakota Will
continue to pay this extra 3 OF 4 cents
u gallon for their kerosene. without
getting any greater safety or better
service commented Il traveller as he
looked ur from his newspaper.
One of his listeners remarked that
consumers probably would have TO pay
whatever producers might demand.
Perhaps that's true, rs II general
proposition" was the reply. "Particu-
larry is 1t true where II less expensive
produce is barred from the markets..
AS l understood it from some neWspa-
per reading I hay been doing, this eN'
ira charge OF 3 or 4 cents Il gallon is
peculiar To South Dakota. and it is due
entirely To n law passed by the last leg
iSlature, that cuts out of he market OF
this state all the oil from the great
fields OF Kansas and Indiana. which
can be furnished at n cheaper rate
than now charged, and compels the
people TO buy Pennsylvania oil, which
Ia more expensive
is the Kansas or Indiana oil just as
good:'
That is what the experts say. They
declare II to be just as safe, II mat
1t furnishes absolutely as good illuinl-
nation. and is rs satisfactory in every
particular"
Then how can 1t be furnished more
c%heaply?"
Because the crude supply is much
more copious, and the methods of re-
fining are less expensive, and the
freight rates are lower from either he
Indiana or the Kansas fields than from
Pennsylvania"
But how can this South Dakota
statute cut these Kansas and Indiana
oils out of the market, and compe the
people to buy the expensive Pennsvl-
vania oil?'
well, you see, the Pennsylvania oil
is slightly heavier than the others, n
the gravity test fixed by the statute is
just sufficient to let it in and keep
the less expensive Kansas and ndian
oils out. The small difference in gray
ity. amounting to only m or two
degrees, cuts absolutely no figure What
yer 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 1t comes from h ground.
II not at all to any difference In re-
fining-just for instance. as II soft
wheat grown in South Dakota differs
from the hard whea of North Da-
kota."
You think. then, that this law
against selling the lighter oil is on q
par with legislation prohibiting the
sale OF soft wheat flour, thus compelling
to buy the North Dakota
product instead Of the South Dakota
product"
precisely. 1t is all right TO enact
laws to prevent sale of unwholesome
or fraudulent flour, or unsafe or adul
terated kerosene, or anything else that
may be dangerous or counterfeit. But
1t isn't right to enact laws which dc
not afford any such protection. but
merely compel people to pay more fol
the light they use in their homes. Off
ces and stores"
You suspect then, that the South
Dakota legislation of 1903, regarding
gravity test of kerosene must have beer
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 compete with the
Indiana or Kansas oils?
well. I don't believe that any leg
islature, entirely on its own origina
motion, would enact a law which bene
fits nobody. but those who deal ex
clusively In high priced oil. and which
law compels to buy that Oh
nothing, but still gives no additions
safety or service"