Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-08-18
STANDARD is F|GHT|NG|
Now Engaged in Desperate Conflict
With the Government.
COMPANY VIOLATES TIE LAW
Secures Illegal Leases in the In
dian Territory and is Trying
to Hold the Lands.

WASHINGTON. d. @. Aug. l5.-Pow-
erful Influences are being arrayed in
a contest which will be OF. national
interest. The whole of the vast in
fiuence, personal and financial. of the
Standard Oil Co +, is being hurled
against the government in a supreme
effort to maintain the Standard IS
prestige. Whether the effort will be
successful will depend on the nerve Of
the representatives of the government.
For several years, the Standard
Oil Co., through its representatives.
has been acquiring rich oil lands in
the Indian Territory and in Oklahoma
Territory, which, in a few months.
will constitute the state of Oklahoma
The lands obtained by the Standard
belong to the Cherokee and Usage In
diaus Secretary Hitchcock. of the
interior department.. became cogniZ-
ant of the intentions of the oil trust
and, after careful investigation of
the situation, decided to Illustrate the
Standards purpose to acquire the
lands at ridiculously inadequate
price. Under the law, the secretary
imposed certain conditions on which
the lands could be leased by the
Indians to the trust, or to ANYBODY
else, Among the conditions impo ed
was one that no person or corporation
should be permitted 10 lease more
than 4.s00 acres In addit on, 10 was
provided that the lease should he pro.
teeted BY cash deposit Of S., 600 as a
guarantee that the lessee would oper.
ate the lands in good faith and that ii
would not be held, ia any sense, for
speculative PURPOSES Secretary Hitch
cock also provided that the lease,
once obtained, eozgd be Hranferred
onlv with consent OF the secretary OF
the Interior. Everv lessee also was
required TO present an affidavit that
he ~as not interested ia other oil
lands held bv the INDIANS in the ter
ritories.
The condition azid dowa by Secre-
tary Hitchcock made trouble for
the Standard OIL Go. Tie statement
is made that the oil trust has oh
tained leases on nearly 2, ZOO, 600 acres
of the finest oil lands in the two ser-
rftories in direct violation of the reg
ul&tions provided by Secretary Hitch.
cock. The lands are not only the
best oil producing lands in the west,
bat, probably. in the world. They
are worth making a fight for. The
STANDARD, therefore. is exarting all OF
its tremendous power te induce Score
tary Hitchcock TO modify his orders,
so that it may continue to hold dhe
leases. Thus far he hss declined TO
do so.
A few days ago, therefore. the oil
frost sent one u its agents directly 20
President Roosevelt. He was accom-.
panied by former United States Sera-
tors James X. J0nes, who represents
the indians that are interested. The
result of their conference with the
! FANNiNSh hor HCc Dcch diesiobcN~ fDlt
there are reasons for believing that the
! president will stand squarely by Sec
retary Hitchcock Indeed. the presi-
dent is known to have said that oe--
tain men, by violating the regula-
tion imposed by Secretary Htcheek
in acquiring leases or To many acres.
have forfeited their right TO further
consideration.