The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-26

I
examination as to his other interests
or investments. Here will be observed
| the machinery specially made for spy
! ing upon a mans affairs, inviting cor
ruption of the official to extend knowl-
edge of ones business to others. Be
yond that and going into the futurities
of business in a way as useless as ii
is impossible to answer truly. is the
rule:
Applicants will supply inforrpation
as to the outlet which they expect to
be able to furnish for the transporta-
ton of crude or refined oil, and to
possessors of oil ref1neries at the
point of destination, and of their in
tentions. if any, to construct new re-
fineries.''
Intentions, If any, is about the
limit of the inquisition.
But to come at once to the Rus
sian" parts of the rules that will make
investors rightly wary. here is one:
The approval of any application for
oil pipe lines and other privileges is
on the condition that the permittee
thereof shall accept and deliver ship
mentS of oil at any regular station on
their line. The secretary of the in
terror may. if he believes such action
necessary and practicable, require in
dividuals or companies granted rights
of way for pipe lines hereunder, to
construct additional stations and ex-
tend their lines to particular wells or
pools at their own expense; and, if in
the exercise of this authority a Ques-
ton shall arise as to the fairness of
such proceedings. the decision of the
secretary of the interior therein shall
be f1nal.''
No law, no appeal from the unfair
ness of any of these propositions. which
invite an official to be unfair and to
practice favoritism, beyond the judg
ment of the secretary of the interior
that is to be final. Here, then, is an
f1I
responsibility in case of error. appoint
ed generally in the name of political
party, made free IN judgment over the
fortunes as well as the acts of others.
any investor in pipe lines or storage
tanks out of business.
You have, we shall say, been so I'M
fortunate as to have invested in a pipe
line ownership, and you have been or
dered to DO this and the other by the
secretary, which. of course. means his
underlings, at your expense" and you
need more money to carry it on. here
is what will happen 10 you: No pipe
line or any contI olling interest in the
same or in the company owing the same
shall in any way, either directly or in
directly, be sublet, transferred assigned
sold or mortgaged to any other pipe
line company. or to any individual or
individuals controlling or owning any
other pipe line company, without the
written consent of the secretary of the
interior"
1t will not. you see, be sufficient. to
get any assistance you may need, but
you must pry into tbeN affairs of your
fellow investor. And, although there
to an usurping official, there are pains
and penalties and costs and damages
70 the inVestor-and without recourse.
Mark this: If at any time the secre-
tary OF the interior shall be satisfied
that any OF the provisions of these reg
ulatlons, or OF any amendments or
changes thereof hereafter established,
have been or are being violated the
said secretary of the Interior. after 10
days notice to the owner or owners of
such pipe line of his intention so to do
shall have authority summarily to sus-
pend, cancel or revoke said permission
pumping stations and storage tanks,
and II is further provided and made an
express condition of the acceptance of
such permission that the secretary of
the interior shall at any time have
power to so suspend, cancel, revoke
such permission In case he should be
satisfied that such pipe line is involved
in any transaction tending to improper
~ regulate the price, supply or distri-
button OF oil, or to bring about such
computation of pipe line interests as
shall be in substantial violation of the
intent of section Is heretnbefore set
forth"
Here are ample powers for the secre-
tary, not merely to regulate the. oil
business in any way satisfactory to
himself. but at any time to wipe out
the investment of any one with the
temerity to put a dollar into the bust
ness.
However much that act of conflsca-
ton without resort stands for more
than made the American colonies re-
volt from Great Britain in the good old
times of Jefferson, Adams and Frank
lin. there is a sequel which perhaps
caps the climax of how to deal with the
property of your enemies and hand it
over to your favorites which quite out
Russias the Russians. And upon
such suspension cancellation or revoca-
ton of permission and during the
period of its suspension the secretary OF
interior shall have power to place in
charge of such pipe line and it's appur-
tenances person to be designated by
him, who shall be accountab bic to him
ana shall manage and operate the same
under his direction"
here is daring defiance of laws and
the principles of law (Which are not al
ways the same thing in these passages
from the circular. Your property is not
only to be rendered useless to you. but
is In fact to be confiscated and turned |
over to somebody else to work it. Hence
the investor must mike up his mind to |
see that every fantastic rule and I'M |
ouslnesslike regulation be abused at |
any cost to himself, or else form the |
meretr1cious and costly friendships |
with all the secretary's officials Fail |
ing desire to do either, the man with I
money to invest had best beware. ana
keep out of it altogether; at any rate
that is the tendency among oil pro
ducers on the spot. w. A
Pittsburg Leader, Jan. Il, 1907.