The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-09
A GREAT SAVING.
Marvellous Figures Given by an
Oil Expert.
Showing Enormous Benefits to
the State of Kansas.
So, 900 EVERY DAY.
Or Two and Half Millions An
nually Due To
AntidiscriminatiOn and Maxi
mum Freight Laws.
$1,000 EVERY

The concrete result of the enforce
ment of the antidiscrimination and
maximum freight rate laws in Kansas,
shows a direct saving to the consum-
ers of oil in the state of 100000
each day. Annually this means 81.
| 100000 saving to the people OF
| Kansas. In the two years that the
antidiscrininating law and the maxi
| mum freight rate law has been in
effect this saving to the consumer
would mean S5,11O, 100000, or an
amount equivalent to the total capital
invested in independent rehneries in
the state
This statement was made by A F.
Robertson, of the Uncle Sam Oil com
pany. who is in Topeka this week. He
further said:
Without the antidiscrimination and
the maximum freight rate law, the
establishment and maintenance of in
dependent refneries in Kansas would
have been impossible. In the two
years succeeding the enactment of the
anttdiscriminating maximum freight
law there have been established and
maintained in Kansas fifteen indie
pendent refinerfes, representing tax
able value to the state of several mil
lion of dollars. The effect of this in
dependent competition to the consum-
er OF OIL the man who lights the
lamps, has been so per cent and the
refners of the state outside of a con-
ditfon of profits to themselves, point
TO this as conclusive evidence, of the
wisdom of the legislature two years
ago, when the statute was enacted.
II understand that there has been.
or viii be some complaint made to the
legislature about the present freight
rates IN force on petroleum and its
products in Kansas. but the fact re-
mains that the present maximum
freight rate law. at its lowest figure
provides revenue to the railroads
higher than the secret rate paid BY
the standard Oil company before the
enactment of this statute.
The question of uniform inspection
Is largely a matter of technically. II
was understood that an effort would be
made to introduce a bill al this session
of the legislature providing that the
Oklahoma test should apply in Kansas.
This Is manifestly so unfair and unjust
that it does not admit of argument In
fact commercial conditions are such
that there is absolutely no necessity of
its inspection whatever. Inspection
laws originated in Pennsylvania about
fifty years ago, when there was no pos
sible means of striking of the explos-
i've or volatile elemnts from the oils
Today the explosive and volatile quail.
tiles of the oils are worth to the refner
at least so per cent more than burning
oil, therefore, no refiner would put on
the market an oil containing any dan
gerous or explosive elements when the
explosive elements were worth so per
cent more to him as a merchandise
commodity through the oil itself In
other words, if the price of kerosene in
Topeka was seven cents a gallon, at
flash test of 100 degrees, no refiner, who
was not in the business for his health
would put 1t on the market an oil of
140 degrees flash, containing gasoline,
benzine or naphtha. This is purely 4
technical question. As a matter of fact
gravity has absolutely nothing to dc
with the Luminosity of oil. The man
who buys the oil does not buy so many
gallons of oil, but buys such and such
a per cent of light and IT has been
abundantly proven by experts that
Kansas crude. while ii will not produce
as low gravity burning oils as the
Pennsylvania oil, it will produce a
greater illuminosity and that is all that
the consumer wants because that is
what he pays for"