Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-12
SHOW
BILLS DEFECTS
ASK FLAVELLE'S MEASURE BE
DEFEATED
Many Objections Raised by College
Professors and City Oil Inspector
BIackmar - Fee System Is
Called Pernicious

Assembly bill No. 4O5, providing for
a state inspector of oils and for stand
ards governing the sale of oils, was
attacked in decided terms by three
local oil experts in letter directed to
the members of the state senate ami
the assembly. The communication,
which denounces the pending measure,
Is signed by Laird J. Stabler, M. S.,
professor of chemistry, University of
California; Edwin H. Miller, A. B., Los
Angeles city chemist, and Charles A
Blackmar, oil inspector Los Angeles
These men have been holding frequent
consultations regarding the proposed
Dill and have formulated their objec-
lions to 1T in most decided epistle which
was forwarded to the state capital yes
terday.
The bill in question was introduced
by Assemblyman Flavelle January IA
The local authorities were asked to ex-
press an opinion and offer amendments.
They have come to the conclusion that
the bill is so thoroughly pernicious and
drawn in such non-technical style that
it should be defeated.
AS the local experts are recognized
as authorities and as their opinions will
more than likely be upheld by the rep
reSentatiVeS from Southern California,
the communication in question will un-
doubtedly go far toward defeating the
pending measure. Several pertinent
criticisms of interest are suggested as
reasons why the bill should not be
passed:
Gravity Standard
"The setting of a gravity standard
for gasoline is not practical, for the
reason that the quality of gasoline is
not specific gravity to any great ex-
tent. The 'siXty-eight specific gravity
of lines six and seven, by which is
probably meant '6S degrees Beaume'
gravity, is too high, for the reason that
it is impossible to manufacture from
crude oil of the quality available at
present a sufficint quantity Of that
gravity to supply the demand"
For technical work such as this the
officer designated in section 8 should
be chosen for his ability and not for
political reasons"
''The fee system, described in section
5, is one Of the most pernicious pre-
visions. There are about 36,000,O00 bar
rels Of petroleum and it's products sold
annually in the state of California.
Most of this is crude, used as fuel The
bulk of the remainder after refining is
used for fuel or lighting purposes. This,
at the minimum fee for inspection,
would bring the amount of fees to the
neighborhood of $3,000,000 annually, not
including reinspectiOn, etc. 1t is hardly
necessary to say more upon this point
In conclusion the letter sets forth:
1T must be apparent from the forego-
ing that this bill is utterly unsuitable
for the regulation of the sale of pc
troleum products, in that it places false
standards to which they must comply,
that its provisions are not sufficiently
technical for a. technical subject, that
its machinery is not suitable for the
intended purpose and would work ali
unnecessary hardship upon a large and
important industry and that the cor
sumner Of petroleum products would not
receive protection commensurate with
the expense which would be entailed by
the reason Of the increased cost Of pro-
duction."