Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-02
GOVERNMENT GOES
AFTER OIL LAND
Department of Justice lnvestl-
gates Title Of S. P. to
California Grants
SUED IN U. S. CIRCUIT COURT
Hoke Smith Leads Battle Before
Judge Ross to Restore the
Acreage to People
SUED IN U. S. CIRCUIT COURT

That the federal government alread!
has attacked the title of the Southeri
Pacific to oil lands in California an'
that the adoption of resolution py III
American Mining congress urging Ieu
eral action to compel the return OF IN
oil lands to the public domain was un
necessary in the circumstances, is tn
substance of a statement sent to Tn
Herald by T. S. Minot yesterday. Tn
statement follows:
LOS ANGELS, Sept. 30.-Editor
Los Angeles Herald, City: Dear SIT
i notice in Friday morning issue
of The Herald a detailed account OF
the proceedings Of the mining con-
gress. In the report which is pub
lished in full there is resolution
submitted by Thomas E. Gibbon OF
Los Angeles. and the gist of the
resolution is this: THAT we request
the president of the United States
to see to it that immediate steps
shall be taken by the proper officers
of the government to recover the
oil land in the state of California,
now claimed and held by the South
ern Pacific Railway company by
virtue of the act of congress grant
ing to it non mineral lands
The government is already inVes-
tigating this grant Last March
matter of this grant and did so
with the Hon. Hoke Smith of At
lanta, Ga l afterward went to
WASHINGTON. and the matter was
properly and thoroughly laid before
those who had authority, amongst
which was the secretary of the IN
terror. r. A. Ballinger, and after a
full and complete hearing Judge
Ballinger decided that the depart
ment of justice should write letter
to the department of the INTERIOR
authorizing an investigation of TINS
grant and the expenditure of SUI
ficient money to carry on the
matter.
CASE NOW PENDING
The president has nothing to do
with it except to authorize eXpendl-
ture of money as head of the eNecu-
tive department Judge Ballmger
and the attorney general have
started investigation, and it is pro-
ceeding. There are several compe-
tent men i'm the field now and the
matter is being looked UP in all its
details and properly attended to-
and is and will be investigated in
every way.
There is a case pending in the
United States circuit court before
Judge Ross in which George ID.
Roberts and others are complain
ants and the Southern Paclhc COM
pany and others are defendants. In
this case the Southern Pacific Rail
way company's land grant is dl-
rectlv attacked r. D. Townsend,
special assistant to the attorney
general of the United States, is my
associate and has charge OF the
same. He is backed by the depart
ment of Justice and authorized 10
take any and all steps on behalt OIL
tbe government that may be neces-
gary to adjust the title III dispute
make this statement for fear
that Judge Ballingers action in the
matter might be misconstrued by
those whose minds have been some
u-ha+ warped" or "jaundlced.
There is no necessity for any reso-
l1tion of this kind. The investiga-
tion is on and will go to the limit
that is. as far as the government
can carry it in an honorable up
right and straightforward manner.
The department of JustlCe'
think, will back me up IN What l
say; anyway the hght is on III the ti
federal court, and that is where the
title will be tested and the attorney
general and r. A. Ballinger, secre-
farv of the interior, are doing their
hest, under the circumstances ana
authority that they possess by Vir-
the of the statute and the rules and
regulations of the land office, TO
see that this grant is properly ad-
justed. a..
I am not in the employ of the
government, but | know that the
so-called representatives of the peo-
ple's interest have never at any
time endeavored to recover one acre
of land from the Southern Pacihc.
They have dealt principally in the
peoples regulations, but brought
nothing back in acreage to the peo-
ple. / stand as solicitor with b. d.
Townsend and Hoke Smith on be
half of George D. Roberts, Col, Fred
r. Windsor and others to get this
land back to the people. OF course
this resolution does no harm in any
way. only it carries the idea or mis-
representation that the government
is not doing anything which is not
true. Out of fairness to all parties
wish YOU would publish this letter.
r s MINOT.