The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1932-12-16
r. J.
RATE


in u case, | consider it my duty
and l will attempt in the time a.
lotted me, to show you what tn
present status of our fight" is.
/ refer to u efforts in connect
ion with this freight rate case a.
a fight. 1t is a flight. Max,
no mistake about that. For years
this part of Montana has been sur
rounded by a protective freighr
wall that is mainly responsible fol-
the fact that the prices that yor
have been paying for gasoline are
higher than anywhere in the Unit
ed States. Now if you think that
any determined attack against this
protective freight wall is not a
flight" you w~oefully underestimate
the number and character of its
defenders.
In order that you may clearly
picture in your minds the ground
over which this battle is being
fought, the issues involved, and
the strength and disposition OF the
opposing forces, l will give you
this information and report on the
progress of the battle as briefly
as possible.
To begin with, the gasoline con-
Stunning public, you residents of
northeastern Montana, have long
recognized the unreasonableness of
the prices which you have been
compelled to pay for your gasoline
and other motor fuels. Gasoline
prices in this territory have been
repeatedly criticized. Time and
again politicians have sought to
gain votes and good will by con-
demning them. Newspapers have
in. the agitation. Consumers
have adopted various expedients to
get relief. Not n of these attacks
have been directed at the real
of the difficulty, and not
OuG lids DlOuSht any pei llioiOhI
beneficial results. These attacks
have served only to bring into dis
repute the independent petroleum
narketer doing business here. They
have brought harm to the little
oil dealer without especially bene-
,iting anyone.
You do not produce oil in north
eastern Montana, hence your pet
supplies must be brought
from localities where they are
Produced. You have access to three
principal sources, the Montana oil
fields to the west of you, the Wy
,ming fields to the southwest, and
he great Mid Continent field which
Includes all or parts of the great
Ill producing states of Oklahoma,
Kansas, Arkansas and Texas. In
of production and in re-
lining facilities the Montana and
Wyoming fields are Insignificant
ompared to the great Mid CONT
lent fields. The fields and refiners
f the Mid Continent supply so
a part of the nations petrol
UNI that the transactions which
axe place there virtually establish
daily market price on petroleum
roducts the country owe In that
rea a purchaser may find humid
eds Of responsible refinery sources
rom which he may purchase his
requirements of petroleum
roducts. The total demand of these
urchases and the total supplies
n hand in that area r. the fac
IFS that determine the daily mar
ct prices. These prices, establish
d in Oklahoma, Kansas and adj
,ining states, which are more
ommonly known as the Mid Cont
ent, are the prices that govern {
le price of a tank a of gasoline !
Montana whether that tank a I
!. gasoline comes from Mid Cont :,
emit, Wyoming, Or from within 7
lie state of Montana itself. To the c
i'd Continent refinery price of ]
lis car of gasoline is added the
eight from the Mid Continent to :
Jontana, and ultimately you pay !
le freight from Mid Continent 3
if you live within 100 miles ]
a Montana refinery. (
In all fairness, it might be as
that it costs more to pro- Z
a gallon of gasoline in Mon {
ma and Wyoming than it does J
the Mid Continent. Only those 7
no have comparative cost sheets I
fore them can determine this 4
r a certainty. 1t may be, | will g
It say that it is, that the Mid !
,ntinent price plus freight from {
id Continent is a fair price to 2
.arge at Wolf Point for a a OF y
refined at Shelby, but g
,vertheless, Wyoming refiners are !
pplying gasoline to our neigh =
RS in western North Dakota, \
1se to our state line, at a price z
sed on Mid Continent refinery 8
ice plus Mid Continent freight Y
ties that yield them a net return Z
their refinery in Wyoming of y
&c to 3hc per gallon less than z
e same gasoline would net them :
shipped to a northeastern Mon b
ma point. If they are losing money (.