The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1908-09-29
ROOSEVELT ORDERED IT
FRANCHISE FOR OIL COMPANY GRANTED WHEN
OKLAHOMA WAS A TERRITORY

Once again the mpetuous Mr. Roosevelt has bee, ~, -
the political buzz For several days his Daily Sccb e from
the White House has contained against Governor
eli Oklahoma that he had extended favo to the
Prairie Oil & Gas Co., subsidiary company of the Standard oil
company The charges originally made BY the degenerate
Hearst and promptly denied by the governor who invited the
searching investigation of his official True his nature
as great American Butnsk President Roosevelt seized upon the
charges of this degenerate magnify them regardless Of their truth
or fay disregard Of the consequences Now that the
whole truth has regarding the franchise of the Prairie Oil
Gas company Oklahoma shifts responsibility for the ss
ace franchise the company Governor Haskell to Pres
ident Roosevelt
special correspondent of the Rocky Mountain News who in
vestgaed the matter Washington sends his paper the following
facts reference the granting OF the franchise We
to our readers for careful consideration:
An investigation the interior department has brought the
fact the franchise of the Prairie Oil and Gas company Okla
homa was issued by Ethan Allen Hitchcock secretary
Interior charged by Governor Charles Haskell 1t further ap
that Mr. Hitchcock granted the franchise nwilngy and only
after had refused to do When the secretary did grant
he Welded explicit Instruction from President ROOsese The
facts are record in letter files and elsewhere the inter
department
The history of the Oklahoma franchise follows The
ary the obstinate his refusal to issue the fran
cse whereupon the Senator K Jones OF Arkansas went to
Oyster Bay accompanied by his client T. NJ Barsda OF Pburg
and saw the president Still reinforced in his demand
for franchise by Senator Arancho of New York. who had
an interest in the company Senator Depew who expressed de-
the obliged in the matter
Certain influential Republicans III lndldld NeIG dioo liNN'
among Tay S. New, chairman OF the Republican national
committee company and whose contract was III danger
of being impaired by the refusal of Secretary Hitchcock to ay
After several conferences the president sent for Secretary
Hitchcock and asked him why he granted the franchise The
President for reasons knoH himself decided Ha secretary
Hcocks objections ave founded ana ordered M" 70
franchise requested BY the Prairie OIL and Gas company
There was question at the time whether the company was al
hhaed with the Standard /,
Representations made by certain interested PalteS @
Bnsdal and his colleagues belonged to an independent oy
Subsequently the fact established that the Standard was the rea
interested as the president charges his his attack "
ernor Haskell . Ii
In m matter Of certain pipe line privileges referred to in an IN
ew given out by Governor Haskell today the feeoS 0
the permits qere granted by Secretary Garfield to the faD ~ @
test at he tm H telegrobhed to Secretary Garfield deHaHa"s
utqt right he assumed to permit to lay PIPE % ,' ~
Goeregn state The Secretary according to the fes0aS y s
fee replied that he exercised the right to graH permits a
resahous 7ch are under his control and that ne Na' assume"
no greater authority than that
U.v,r axIn TONLKTD