The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-10-07

dent that when Gov. Haskell found
that the department OF the interior
had granted permission to the oil
company 10 run line through the
Indian lands on the proposed route.
/ he faced the question whether he
should permit the company TO lay
/ its branch line In those sections
OF the proposed route which were
/ under state jurisdiction. sThc Roosa.
| welt administrai had acted first.
/ aud had approved the increased pipe
/ line facilities, Notwithstanding that
| the company was part of the
Standard OH company Should GOV.
Haskell obstruct a necessary pipe
line approved by the federal govern.
mcnt and which the oil producers.
citizens OF Oklahoma. were clamor-
ing foro
So far as the ease has been pre-.
seulod, GOV Haskell acted in the
only sensible way in declining to
ohsiruct the proposed pipe line. lt
is our firm belief that President
Roosevelt. iu GOV HaskclTs place.
would have acted In similar man.
ncr. The governor says. in one Of
his statements To the president:
Mr. President. can We ignore
your grant and tear up that line
under state authority? You know
We cannot VIII a domestic corpora.
tion come In now with that inter
state line existing and parallel 1t to
the same wells? Certainly not: no
more than "a state railroad would
build parallel with an existing in.
terstatc road To carry an amount of
grain production not ample for both.
Who wants an additional lateral line
In this instance The owners. of
that cluster of Wells. We produce
the oil aud must market it or go in.
to bankruptcy; The land owners who
want their royalties. the hborcrs
who want employment the local
merchants whose trade depends up-
on the production aud sale of mum.
"rous small producers We would
all like to see this company take out
q domestic charter. our attorney
general brought suit to prevent It
laying the additional lateral line
until 1t should domcsticate. The oil
pipe company said. "All ight-stop
rs MIR Attorney Generate YOU
wish, We can wait" but our in
terestcd citizens above mentioned
appealed 10 me in their distress. |
saw that our people were the only
sufferers and that We could not
compel the oil pipe line to domcst
cate. and | stopped the case. and
| Tor this reason. Mr. President. YOU
say have been corrupted to aid
| the oil pipe company"
Gov. Haskell in this statement, de.
clarcs that the oil producers were
helpless, unless they could obtain
transportation facilities from the
Prairie company, and this agrees
with the statement of Secretary Gar
hcld. quoted abd'c IL win be adj.
miltcd, therefore that the governor
acted iu the interest of the Okla.
homa oil producers, according ia
Secretary Garhcld's own testimony.
That alone should protect him from
tho charge originally brought into
national prominence by Mr.. Hearst.
that the governor was necessarily q
tool Of the standard OH company
because ne did not obstruct the
new branch line.
The assistant attorney general ot
the department. Of the interior. in AZ
official statement designed to sus.
tain the Presidents attack upon GOV
Haskell presented the legal phase
/ of the case as follows.
The constitution of Oklahoma.
. with the formation of which GOV.
Haskell had much TO do provided
that certain definite action must be-
taken hy corporations before they
should have the right of eminent
domain among which requirements
VAS the Incorporation in the state
/ of oklahoma and the filing of list
of the stockholders officers and
/ directors of the corporatiou
When attorney General West of
/ Oklahoma found tha. the Prairie OIL
and Gas company was about TO
+ build pipe line which would cross
public ,ishways and private lands.
/ involving the exercise of the power
/ of eminent domain. hc brought suit
/ boo equity to restrain the company
. IrII