The Washington herald., 1906-12-25

The government yesterday took the first
step in the direction of driving the Stand
ard Oil Company out of the Southwestern
field when it promulgated regulations
under the terms of which the biggest in
dependent oil pipe line in the world viii
be constructed.
Some weeks ago the announcement was
made that a concession had been granted
to the Mellen Company. of PiJtsburg, 10
erect over reservation lands a pipe line
from Bartlesville, Ind. T., TO points in
Texas. with a view to affoTding an outlet
through Gulf ports for the product of the
Indian Territory Oklahoma field.
The independence OF operators in the
Southwestern field from present and fu-
ture mon0plies. the officials of the In
terror Department believe. is thus insured.
The AIeuens were the pioneers in the in
dependent movement against the Stand
ard oil Company They have operated
with success against the Standard in Va
rioUS sections of the country. The line
which they will construct by authority Of
the government. it is estimated, will cost
SS000.000
Under the regulations issued yesterday
il viii be impossible for the proposed
pipe line to ever faIl into the hands of
the Standard or any other monopoly. The
regulations were prepared by Secretary
Of the Interior Hitchcock. his prospective
successor, James r. Garfield; Indian
Commissioner Francis z. Leupp. and the
law officers of the department Their
provisions are hard and fast, and are eX-
pected to prove effective in the battle
against the monopoly in the Southwest
ern oil fields.
Regulations Are Elaborate.
The regulations are in nineteen sec
tiOns, the last three of which are vital,
since they give the Secretary of the In
terror the authority to cancel upon ten
days notice the contract of any indi-
vidual or company in the event that the
terms of the contract are violated Sec
tions Il. IS, and 19 read as follows:
Sec. II. Any permit granted hereto
fore. or under these regulations, shan be
subject to any changes in or to these reg
Ulations hereafter made by the Secretary
of the Interior.
Sec. Is. No pipe line, OF any cOntroll-
ing interest I'm the same OF in the COM
pany owning the same. shall in any way.
either directly or indirectly, be sublet,
transferred, assigned sold, or mOrtgaged
10 any other pipe line company, or 10
any Individual or individuals controlling OF
owning any other pipe line company,
without the written consent of the Sec
retary of the Interior.
Sec. IS. 1t is made hereby an ex-
press condition of the acceptance of a
permit or permission TO build or operate
a pipe line and appurtenances under
these regulations that if, at any time, the
Secretary of the Interior shall be salts
fed that any Of the provisions of these
regulations or any amendments or any
changes thereof hereafter established
have been or are being violated, the said
Secretary Of the Interior, after ten days
notice TO the owner OF owners Of such
pipe line Of his intention so to do. shall
have authority summarily TO suspend.
cancel or revoke said permission 10 con-
struct or operate such pipe line.
VIII Prevent DETERMINATIONS.
Sections 3 and of the regulations were
drawn for the purpose Of preventing dis
examinations and making the field an en-
tirely fair one to all oil producers.
II is the opinon of the authorities that
under the terms Of the concession granted
10 Mellen & Co. a monopoly Of the oil
fields in the Southwest territory controlled
by the government is forever made i'm
possible.