The Saint Paul globe., 1905-03-25
.SCH|FFMANN SAYS OIL
INSPECTION is FARCE
Former State Inspector Ex-
+. plains System to House
Committee

Fred c. Schiffmann, a former Re-
publican state oil inspector, told of the
workings of the old plan of conducting
that Office to the house committee on
Illuminating oils yesterday. Mr.. Schiff-
mann was inspector waen the fees
went to the inspector. He admitting
collecting $30,66S.S3 in one year, but he
denied that more than a percentage
went to the Inspector. He admitted
the Republican machine.
II was never oil Inspector" Schiff-
mann told the committee. Il was a
sort of chairman of board of state
oil inspectors. One time there were
five of us to divide the money. No one
in the past twelve years has been the
real inspector. The money has always
been divided between a certain num-
ber and an amount has always been
agreed upon to go into the Republican
campaign fund. / collected s30,6SS.S3
in one year, but 1 did not keep very
much of IL. That was not the under
standing when l took the Office"
This was before the Hurd bill.
placing the. inspector on a salary of
$2,400 a year, became a law. Mr..
had not reduced the cost of state oil
inspection.
Hurd Bill Did Not Help
hC I16Ao IlOl ICQuCS lilC
cost of inspection" he declared. 1T
could have reduced it So per cent, but
ii didn't do IL. The same double sys-
tenn of inspection continued and the
same deputies in almost every county in
the state were continued. Give the in
spector about eight good deputies and
he can give you an inspection that will
be worth while. 1t Is to the interest
of the Standard Oil company to keep
up the inspection. 1t enables them to
keep track of competitors. There
would be no competitors but for the
fact that it is perhaps the best policy
TO permit a certain amount of compe-
tition."
The committee was in session to
continue its investigations under the
Oleson resolution demanding an in
quiry into the present oil inspection
law. 1t was in charge of James r.
Hickey as chairman, and the testimony
was taken by a stenographer. Mr..
Schiffmann was on the stand for a
matter of two hours. The question of
a gravity test for Illuminating oil was
gone into quite thoroughly.
j. A. McDermott, state oil inspector,
was present and urged very strongly
the change of the test from a fire to a
gravity test.
The question whether or not Kansas
oil could not be brought in to break
mann said that the Kansas article was
of low grade and that the Standard
people owned the only refinery in that
state. The reason for the poor quality
of the kerosene sold in Minnesota is
that paraffin still remains In the oil.
while perfect oil has no paraffin
I'm it.
What is the best remedy for the
existing condition." asked John L.
Oleson of the committee.
There Is but one remedy" Mr..
Schiffmann responded. Subject all oil
coming into the state to a gravity test.
Under my administration and under
the present administration state oil in
spection is farce and a burlesque,
and 1t can be made a most important
part of the state government"
80 That's right" observed Inspector
McDermott.
There is nothing now to determine
the value Of Illuminating oil sold in
the state" continued Mr.. Schiffmann.
"Only its danger from fire is covered
by the fire test. BY installing the As
deg. Baume test, such as Is pro-
vided by the South Dakota law and is
included in the Gandrud bill now be-
fore your committee, the people will
get an article of oil where they can
use all the oil they purchase"
In answer to questions from J. B.
Rosenthal, Schiffmann said that the
gravity test would mean an advance
of from to cents gallon over pres
ent prices charged the consumer. He
also suggested that kerosene be colored
a ruby color to guard against its being
mistaken for gasoline
why is inspection of oil a hardship
to the people?" asked Edward Fan
ming.
Il would prefer to answer that ques-
ton in executive session." was the
mystifying answer.
"A higher gravity test will mean
higher prices for oil. will it not?"
Chairman Hickey asked.
Schiffman admitted this condition,
but he added that an added candle
power would come with the better oil.
He denied the proposition that the
gravity test would give the Standard
an absolute monopoly of Minnesota
OIL 1t was suggested that no other
company could obtain. a supply that
would meet the proposed gravity test.
The committee will continue its in
Quiry Tuesday. Henry Feig, Inspector
McDermott w. c. Teal of Minneapolis
and others have been subpoenaed to
annQar and foctifu