Bisbee daily review., 1921-06-15
Mining Men Oppose High Import Duty On Petroleum And Freight
 Rates That Fail 10 Aid Arizona

Resolutions protesting against the placing Of high import duty on pc troleum and petroleum products and the reduction of freight rates to and from Pacific coast terminal points that would not grant any relief to Arizona shippers. were adopted yes terday at the closing meeting of the Arizona chapter of the Arizona Min ing Congress, which has been in ses- sion here since Monday.
 In the petroleum duty resolution, the chapter called attention to the fact that fuel oil is essential to the mining industry and that if a high import duty were put on it one of the main sources of supply, Mexico. would be cut off Such action. ac- cording to the resolution, would cause fuel famine in the United States and would bring higher prices on petroleum and by-products than in 1919 or 1920.
 The effect of such an import duty. members of the chapter pointed out, would be to place Arizona at the mercy of Texas, Oklahoma and Cali fornia oil producers, who could in crease prices almost at will were com petition frcm. Mexico blocked by high import duties.
 The resolutions follow:
 DUTY ON PETROLEUM WHEREAS: Officials of the. United States Government have re- peatedly warned the American people that fuel oil and other pe- tr0leum products are vital to the nayy, and to the shipping and manufacturing industries of the United States. and that the do mestic reserves of petroleum are being so rapidly depleted that for the safeeT of the conatIy 1t is ndcessary for Anerican compan- ies to secure control of foreign oil properties and
 WHEREAS: At present the Secre- tary of State is carrying on ne gotiations with foreign countries, to allow American companies to obtain concessions in foreign oil fields, in order that domestic re serves 1T oil may be conserved, and
 WHEREAS: Large quantities of-pe- troleum are now being imported into thei United States from Mex. ico and from other countries, thereby to some extent relieving the oil fields of the United States from excessively rapid depletion, and
 WHEREAS: The present disorgan- ized condition of the oil industry in the United States is merely lthe result of the temporary cur tailment and readjustment in oth- CT industries, and is. in no way due to production of petroleum which would exceed the demand in normal times, and
 WHEREAS: If a high import duty is placed on crude oil. when a general revival of business comes there will be a great scarcity of petroleum and its products in the United States. resulting in fam inc prices even higher than those which prevailed during 1919 and 1920, and in a very rapid depie ton of the petroleum reserves of the nation, and
 WHEREAS. In particular the min ing industry of Arizona depends in a large degree on regular and guaranteed shipments of fuel q from Mexico at a moderate price as was shown by the fact that in the fall of 1920 most Ameiican producers of fuel oil , refused to make >or renew contracts for the delivery of fuel oil at any price and by the fact that at that time the Standard Oil Company of Cal ifornia publicly urged its former customers to replace oil burnili