The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-11-20
THAT OIL DEAL
sn Oklahoma Comes Out In Full
at Last.
THE PEOPLE SCOOPED

THE PEOPLE SCUUPED
by President Roosevelt for the Ben.
eft Of the Standard Oil US
Charged by Governor Haskell
During the Late Presidential Cant
paign and Denied by Teddy.
washington, Nov. 19:-The story
of how the Prairie Oil Company, E.
subsidiary concern to the Standard
Oil, got its privileges in Oklahoma
were told in the recent campaign by
only a few newspapers that were
supporting the Democratic ticket.
But again recently in the Herald OF
this city appeared a full story of how
this Standard Oil concern got its
privileges in Oklahoma, contrary 10
law, and in a special way, with
special concessions which have been
denied other companies. This is the
story which the Herald publishes
"Belated intelligence as to the
whereabouts Of an important report,
written by Ethan Allen Hitchcock,
while he was secretary Of the in
terror in President Roosevelt's cai;-
met, came to hand yesterday.
"This report was the one submit
: ted to the president by Mr.. Hitch
cock in 1904, setting forth his rea-
sons for denying the application of
the Prarie Oil and Gas Company, "a
Standard Oil subsidiary, or a permit
to construct pipe line to the then
Territory of Oklahoma.
"The pipe line franchise was
granted, nevertheless, ,-but is did no.
become generally. known until late
in the recent political campaign thai
this course was authorized by Presl :
dent Roosevelt himself, who ove--
ruled the action of his secretary Of
the interior against Mr.. ,Hitchcock's
uncompromising resistance.
"The fact has come to light that
the present repository of Secretary
Hitchcock's report is the department
of justice. The document has been
lying there for several years, and
nothing but a resolution of congress
will cause 1T to be made public. a
man Of national deputation and
probity said yesterday:
Yes, the report Is there, but
President Roosevelt dare not let its
contents be known.
"That Mr.. Hitchcock's adverse de-
cision is in the department of justice
instead of in the files Of the White
House. or interior department, in
duces the surmise that the secretary
advised that criminal proceedings be
brought against certain men connect,
ed with the oil and gas deal in Ok
lahoma, but there is no specific
authority for this statement.
Men of national political renown
were interested in the oil and gas
franchise, and it happened that their
application for pipe line, which was
so stoutly resisted by Secretary
Hitchcock, came along at the time
when Mr.. Roosevelt was seeking
nomination and election to the presi-
dency.
"Mr. Hitchcock has resisted the
opportunities of the Standard, and
flnallys in March, 1904, a statute
passed by congress directing him t"
make regulations for permits for
pipe lines. The regulations pro-
posed by Secretary Hitchcock were
considered too drastic to suit the
Standard! Oil people, and finally Gov.
Frank Higgins Of New York wrote
letter to the president in the
interest of D. W. Barusdals, the
Pittsburg agent of the Standard,
asking the president to order Sec
retary Hitchcock to grant the permit.
The president did so, but the
secretary yielded reluctantly. A few
months later Mr.. Hitchcock printed
a volume Of the private hearings
held before his department on appll.
cations for pipe line permits. In
the documents he gave copy Of
Gov. Higgins letter.
when the volume appeared It
created some excitement. 1t was in
the Hughes-Hearst gubernatorlHi
campaign. The president was indig-
nant at Mr.. Hitchcock for giving out
the Higgins letter, declaiming that
it was the property Of the executive
"He ordered the copies Of Secrc-
tary Hitchcocks printed document.
to be called in and shipped to Oyster
Bay, where Mr.. Roosevelt was then
staying. There was some excitement
over the order, and agents from the
Interior department were busy visit
ing newspaper bureaus and law Of
fees in Washington in quest of the
Objectionable document.
"The regulations made by Secre-
tary Hitchcock in December, 1906. [
following the favors shown to the !
Standard Oil Company by the presi-
dent in 1904, were more drastic from
the Standard viewpoint than any
thing that had preceded them. In
the congressional campaign preced-
ing President Roosevelt had nromis-