The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-07-27
NEWSPAPERS OPINION
THE PRICE OF GASOLINE


Mavor Yount is to be commended for taking
the initiative here and demanding thorough IN
vestigation of local gasoline prices to determine
whether or not Hickory motorists are being dis
eliminated against and made to pay more than is
being charged for gas in other North Carolina
cities.
Likewise, the mayor has indicated that he IN
tends to join actively with Governor Ehringhaus
who is fighting for lower gasoline prices through
out the state at large. - A.
There should be no disposition to blame the IN
dvdual retailers of gasoline here, for they are not
responsible for fixing prices in Hickory. Probably
they would rejoice along with residents generally,
to have the retail price reduced to level as low
as is being charged any place else in the country
1t is to be hoped that local officials will not ma
it necessary to establish municipality owned hll-
ing station in Hickory to care for the public needs
Although this is one of the projects being consd-
cred. Mayor Yount himself says that there is no
disposition to want to take suchS step unless
fair price for gasoline cannot be accomplished IN
any other way. 49, e., ts. ..
The idea of a municipality operated gasoline
station would have sounded like radical sugges-
ton some years ago, but in these days of the New
Deal when the federal government sets similar
precedents it is quite likely that the people of this
community will applaud the proposal, as last
resort.
With gasoline playing such an important part
in our daily life and with practically all of our
people compelled to buy certain amount of the
motor fuel every week, it is essential that the
public be safeguarded against exploitation. qf
Mayor Yount has evidence that we of Hickory are
paying more for our gasoline than the people OF
other North Carolina communities, it is his duty to,
find out why. t.
Likewise Governor Ehringhaus is performing a
great service in his demand to know why Tar Heel
people are being charged more than the people Of
Virginia, tax differences accounted for. The gov
ernor declared in letter to Secretary of Interior
Ickes that the increases in the retail price of gas
oline made in North Carolina between April, 1888,
and the present time have totaled &c cents per
gallon and have cost the people of this state at the
rate of S14,672, 900 year. The retail price has
increased from III cents per gallon, the prevail
ing price over the state in April, 1888, to 22.7
cents per gallon, the price to which gasoline was
advanced within the last few days, Governor Ehr-
nghaus told Secretary Ickes. The governor put
the proposition very well when he added
"The amount of the price increase alone during
the past year is than all the school teachers
in the state received in salaries last year and is
almost three times much as all the automobile
in the state paid in automobile license taxes
this past year" The governor pointed out that a.
total of 262OOO,OOO gallons of gasoline was con-
sumed in the state last year which at the present
price of 22.7 cents per gallon, cost the motorists
of the state almost $6O,OOO,OOO or more than
S1O,O0O,OO0 III excess of the total amount of all
taxes collected by the state for both the operation
of the highway system, the school and all other
state activities. These figures do not include the
amount spent for lubricatng oil."-The Hickory
Record.