The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-18
TO RE-tSTADlISH
COMPETITION IN
THE OIL BUSINESS
INTERSTATE COMMERCE. CON-
MISSION UNDERTAKES I'M
POETANT TAeK OF REG
UIATTNG PIpE LINE
COMPANIES.

Washington. July 1.-THE Inter
state commerce commission. acting
under the recent decision by the SUI
preme court, to-day issued notice
to pipe line companies to file with It
tariffs fixing rates and charges for
carrying oil.
This notice is the first step by the
comm isdon in one of the most i'm
portant tasks ever undertaken by 1t.
The recent decision Of the supreme
court sustaining the legislation max
ing oil pipe lines common carriers has
not attracted much attention thus far
because of biS matters or more i'm
mediate concern that have been pend
ing before the interstate commerce
commission. Gradually, however. it
is beginning to dawn on officials hare
that the now field of regulation OPEN
ed to the commission is Of thegrea test
Importance and involves questions
that will have far-reaching effect
on the petroleum business OF the
country. Many ofilclnls here believe
that present methods Of buying and
selling WIN - rsvolut1ortsed az a re-
suit Of the courts rsonnt decision and
that real composition will be re-ee-
ta-hlished The ballet has been ak
pressed here that the commission In
regulating the pipe line ra,se will, TO
q considerable eoetSnt- exerolse a voice
In fixing the sotual prices of petroleum
IN the United States, If not in the
world
Most Importan& Problem.
The cornn1aniun ftSaif regards the
problsm now before 1t as one Of the
most important Il has ever been call
I'd upon to solve. Al pressut tho
pipe ltnsg buy the oil ~ be eranSpore-
cd At prices 4xSd by themselves, Ihn
chazantsr o< ths oona1nod1ty and the
way It must be handled are such thar
some system mAgt be devised by the
commission ~ witch satisfactory >st-
tlement must be made al tie recafs,-
ing stations. # y 0oaeelrd that this
will be difficult 10 arrange, bat the
commission has bs@r cn.f Sod with
the duty Of rcssl1atlnr pipe isnss and
1t intends to do itS best In this d'yes,-
ton along with its many other oner-
osaa burdsmA
What the new osdAs 1t e,rtnsD means
IL Indicated ~ The faat .1eAa IN 1913
the United States Drc 2scsd a1s 9eh.-
~ barrels - crude ~ vsaued At
tle<.21S.347, and evsry bit Of # wont
through pipe lines The Enaloain Al
suyycy estimates thai The production
for lAf9 reanhsd Ss0.noo, 900 barre,a,
valued a nnAs thAn asAo. ooo, 900
The expectsxi1n n no coGnnaiAoAcn y
TIA lust a. soon ~ d vvrktn6 Vstsn
b oampaaaed to epueu q erufe al
wa snDxsnoszly bncseasa In 1919
the Un1tad SEaAAs 9EpSstsd 1.SS9><Te-
syT eennD a "a. valued at AA3<.-
21o.a81,
Break Up Nonopssy.
The Standard OIL company In The
past and IN SUCCESSORS under the dne-
solution decree Of the supreme court
hay~ controlled exports. and, II y
charxsd. prevented foreign interests
from buying crude % In this country
and refining It. This has been accom-
p,tshed, IL n Alleged, thTWTh Tho
ownership and control OF the ptye
lines
Now apparently this will be
changed Jus. as coon as The COM
mission fixer rates rules and regufa-
tons. the business must be dome In a
difYereut way and every one win be
accorded the same treatment.
For the first time. II Is said, foreign
BUYERS will he able to come 10 this
buy crude oil, transport 1t
through the pipe lines to tidewater
and either refine II there or ship II
abroad. These foreign. as we'll as do
nestle buyers. will operate under
rules to be promulgated by the COM
mission and not by the pipe lines
themselves. And among other
the commission will make ar
ranEements to begin a physical valn-
alton OF the pipe lines
Physical Valuation First
II IL the belief that the COMMUNIST on
viii begin the physical valuation at
the earliest practica bic date In order
TO ascertain Tho va1ue Of the proper
ties and to nx what r. rsasonA bic