The Kerosene Oil Law

This law has been spoken about scvoral times in tue.ie coIuiuds. We have never thought it a good law, bccause we have always believed t to be in the interest of a monopoly. We hare thought, and still think, that the people are robbed that somebody niay prosper. Other statcs pay one-half loss f'or their illuminating oils than our owd, and run no more danger from explosiona or conflagrations therefrom than we do. At least reporta from other states would indícate that fact. In speaking of this law the Huron ('nunty News has some very sensible words to say, with which we agree fully, and would recommend tbc same to the earnest consideration of our legislators : ''Not long tinco we adverted to the oneriax levied upon the consumers of illuïninatiiiii oils in this state, by what is known as the "Michigan test law," amounting in the aggregate, the past year, to $350,000 or $400,000- in fact, doubling the cost of this article to them. This tax levied, as we showed, did not come from increased cost in the manufacture, but Hoed the pockets first of the few refiners engaged ia uianufacturing the "Michigan test' of 120 degrees: and second, the wholesaie dealers at Detroit and other distributing points; which monopoly would be broken down were our dealers permittd to" go into the Cleveland market and Mipplr themselves with standard oil of 110 degrees test, the average quotations of which do not exceed eight cents per gallon, whilu the "Michigan test" is quoted in Detroit at an average of eighteen totwenty cents. The legislature had the workings of this law brought to itsnotice; but instead of relieving the people by its re peal, oontcnted itself with making some changes a tn the inspection. Wo observe, however, that illuminating oil of the "Michigan test" feil all of a sudden, last week, froni twenty one to twelve and a half conts per gallon in the Detroit market with no satisfactory explanation of the tumble, only that the Post, after charging monopoly upon the Standard Oil Co., vdunl útlds that 'it is quite evident tliat there is some reason for the receot sudden decline beyond what appears on the surface.' If the financial editor of the l'ost would turn over its files for the past year and examine its oil reports, it will lind the standard white of 110 degrees quoted at Cleveland not to exceed eight cents per gallon ; but he will find no report ui' "Michigan test" until itreaches Detroit, where he will find it quoted, on an average, at more than douMe that figure. And it' he desires to see the monopoly of wbich he complains orippled, we assure him one strong prop would be removed by the re peal of the "Michigan test" law, and her people relieved of a most oneroui tax.