Montana oil journal. (Great Falls, Mont.) 192?-1931, 1931-01-31


Again the demand for oil tariff reaches Washington
Members of the Independent Oil Producers Association Of
America led by Writ Franklin reported to have obtained
meeting the capital the support Of
and representatives in Congress for emergency tariff
petroleum and petroleum products
This pronosa Is directly connected with the question
oil conservation indeed out Of the application Of
limits production the midconnent and Pacific coast heds
OF the United States.
At first il may seem inconsistent that while Mr. Franklin
and his associates asking duty to keep oil out and
prices up another independent producer and refner T.
Champn challenging federal court the proraton law
Oklahoma, quoted declaring the restrictions
wells have kept the price Of crude petroleum IN excess Of ITS
actual value considering the available supply
Actually these apparently opposite pleas indicate that the
independent oil simply attacking both horns Of the
dilemma which they find themselves placed Last year
while their wells in many states being shut in under
proraon ORDERS the mportatons Of petroleum
Of refined gasonencreased than 10 per cent
equivalent in the first months of 1880 to
approximately 100000 barrels gasoline or about
nth of me reouiremen 81 M domestic market Most az
this was shipped Venezuela and few other Latin
American countries BY few large companies and has had
Now the independent producers in the United States
have their financial obligations and in order to meet
them they @ either take enough oil out Of the ground at
price else get better price for what they permit
ted From their point Of view if there is to be
there least not without the ruin Of
the small producer and the assimilation Of his holdings BY
the highly capitalized companies which can Oxford to
carry them until they become profitable
There be little doubt that reasonable conservation
Of the nations oil resources the preferable alternative
coupled with the prospect Of an oil tariff and slightly
higher prices for gasoline The nation generally afford
share the Of Orderness in the development Of its
natural resources The that motorists many states
pay uncomplaningy gasalne which adds approx
ey onehrd the price Of the commodity does not
to indicate that consumers being burdened.
1t would be highly unfortunate if certain larger OIL
companies BY rather unseeng desire to profit from the
present situation should place the conservation
light The dispeasure of the independent producers
is already vocal and when responsible finaneer
Henry Dohery makes the charge in advertisement that
larger and stronger companies have thwarted abhza
because they wished to profit from the distress Of the
industry considerable section Of the public win give ear
The larger oil companies hardly expect TO
push both ways pressing down the price with mporta-
and pressing back the production with proration Per-
maps refusal apply duty has not been due much to
he wishes Of these companies TO the opposition Of those
dislike all imports The independents reported lately
formulated alternative proposal for embargo to
oil imports 20 per cent Of the 1928 volume and
exclude refined oil products However valid be the
general objections barriers whether tariffs
argos the petroleum industry constitute ex
optional and TO have strong claim as any other
he United States for form Of protection.