The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-11-12
CONDEMNS
Federal
PIPE LINE
RESTRAINT

New York. Nov 11.--Praise of the
Prairie Oil & Gas company, a sub
sidisry OF the Standard oil company
in oklahoma, was coupled with denun-
clation OF federal regulations for the
control ~ pipe lines in oklahoma at
yesterdays session of the hearing here
IN the governments suit to dissolve
the Standard Oil company.
Counsel for the Standard opened fire
earley in the session on the rules the
government has laid down for the
building OF pipe lines through govern
ment land, and later drew from one Of
his witnesses. J. r, Greenlees, an Ok.
| lahoma Gil producer, an expression OF
opinion that the regulations we're
PASSED 10 keep the Prairie oil compa-
ny from building lines in the terrific
ry
George w Barnes again was on the
stand when the hearing opened. Ask
eG his nrlIion of the government or
Ganizatin1 making pipe line building
contingent on the consent of the sec
retary OF the interior. who also has
the right % suspend the license at any
time 70: cause. Mr.. Barnes said he
considered a man who would build a
! line under such conditions, subject TO
| the "whim' of the secretary of the in
| terror, "a at subject for an insane
asylum. The matter was gone into
In more detail. however, when MIR.
Gfeenlee declared that capital had re-
fused to consider the building of addi-
, tional pipe lines. so badly needed by
the territory since the regulations Had
been Dut into effect.
During his cross examination Mr..
| lGfeenlee strongly denounced not only
the pipe line regulations. but those
controlling regulations between the
lessons and land owners. The obnox.
len5 reg Ilations. the witness declared.
had retarded growth OF the mid.eontin.
cnt fields through the fact that no per
son or company would construct pipe
lines there under existing conditions.
i know said the witness. that il
those regulations had been kept out
ci the way we would have All the moe
lines necessary by this time to pipe
away oui OIL
Then you would want no regula.
tons governing The pipe lines or reg.
rtations governing the relations be-
tween iessors and the lndians?" asked
ar KellJgg
AS wih the Indians, no."
How long would the Indians have
cnything left If there were no gov.
ernmeat icstrietions?"the witness was
asked.
THAT would depend upon the In.
nan a 3 pttf "a fh.. bff
Mr. Greelilee. There are plenty of
indgns town there that could skin
any whi'e man in this room out OF
his eye teeth"
MT Gree nice said he would not OBJ.
lect to regulations provided they were
based upon ordinary business sense.
n particular he objected TO the lack
: right 10 appeal to court from the
nhng OF the secretary of the interior.
W II Johnson. an Oklahoma oil
producer, told his experiences in the
nd-continent fields and like the pre-.
edng Witnesses had nothing but good
words for the Prairie on & Gas com.
nany and the concerns treatment OF
lie producers.
The tendency of the government
control he declared. was to increase
he ability Of the producer to get his
u cut lt the state to a market and TO
accelerate production Regardless OF
the law o supply and demand.
Mr. Johnson denied there was any.
.hing TO show that the interests Of the
tlalrie, Gnlf and Texas pipe line com
panies were Identical He believed
mat The Two latter companies were
behind tho drastic departmental rul-
ing