Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-28

fact that the United States govern
ment companies to enjoy the legul
privileges to which it was entitled on
the Indian reservations of Oklahoma
as his justification for haying given
it illegal privileges to which it was no.
entitled in the state of Oklahoma. The
excuse furnishes the measures Of Gov
Haskel's moral quality. The federal
act of March H. 1904 conferred upon
the secretary of the interior the right
to grant permit for oil and gas pipe
lines to cross Indian reservations.
Regulations to carry out the law was
drawn up by the Indian office and APP
proved by the secretary OF the interior
April u, 1904.
In compliance with the law and The
regulations the department of the in
terror permitted the Standard Oil Pipe
and the various rival pipe line com
panies (Such as the oklahoma Natural
Gas CO., the Cary River Gas Co, the
Dense Portland Cement Co, and others.
including Texas and Gulf companies.
all on the same terms and under the
same conditions. the right of way
across the reservations No pcrfer-
ence or privilege was granted to any
all the others. Any other action than
that actually taken by the interior de-
partment would have been as brossly
improper as the actions of Gov. Has
kell himself.
The government stood neither for
nor against any company; but it re-
CURED each to obey the law. Its action
was precisely like the action which
against the Standard Oil Co, in the
rebate matter; it did not thus proceed
because the Standard Oil Co, was in
volved, but because rebates had peen
granted; it would have proceeded Just
as quickly against the rivals of tfl4
Standard Oil as against the Standard
Oil itself. Our only concern was to
punish any guilty party. Our effort
is to do equal Justice to all and to cX-
act justice from all alike. We are no
more to be swayed from this course by
desire to punish a corporation than by
desire to favor no matter whether it is
the Standard Oil or any other
The permit of the national govern
ment, as set forth in the telegram of
the secretary of the interior to Gov.
Haskell Of April % last was merely to
cross or use the restricted allotments
and tribal property Of the Indians; it
had nothing to do with the question Of
compliance with the laws of the state
of Oklahoma, and conferred no privi-
cge to cross territory in Oklahoma
outside of the reservations. Gov. Has
kell refused to permit any proceedings
to be taken against the Standard Oil
Co. although this company Decline;
to obey the law of Oklahoma. He
claims that the Standards Oil rights
We're superior to the requirements Of
the Oklahoma constitution, for which
he was himself mainly responsible; he
took the decision Of this question away
from the courts, and. against the opin-
ion of his attorney general he decided
it in favor of the Standard Oil Cor
poration. The attorney general of ok
lahoma has made the following state
ment in this matter:
THE Presidents statement as to the
Prairie Oil and Gas Co. suit is less
than the whole matter in it's whole in
ioulty, because on the 23d day of April
had informed the governor that the
action taken by the Prairie Co was il |
legal and should be enjoined and that |
had an open injunction suit. At that
time. April %. the governor agreed
with me as to the illegality of the ac-
ton and proved the finding of the in
junction.
'The same day the governor left the
state to go to Denver the Prairie Co
started its trespassing. This I believe
was pre-arranged between the COVER
ror and the Prairie Co, because the
Prairie Co. rushed the laying of it's
pipe line during the absence of the
governor from the state.
Il wired the governor July l. asking
whether he had given the Prairie Co.
permission to build its line. His reply
cvaded my sole question and instead Of