Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-03

NT OF only one but many bills now
confront the oil industry in Cali
~ fornia, and the best legal talent
and expert practical advice are needed
at washington to prevent any one OF
the several bills from going through
without full knowledge of its purport
on the part of the people. There are
at present pending before either one Oh
the two branches of congress the
Smith bill the Smoot bill and the PICK
EFT bill and still another which was pre-
sented yesterday but of which nobody
in Los Angeles seems to know the eX-
act status. .,
The bill which has aroused the Oil
men to strenuous action here Is the
Pickett bill, which is an Endorsement Oh
the Ballinger policy, and therefore es-
poused by President Taft. This Dill Is
In reality the conservation bill now be-
fore the senate; and while 1t Is said
this bill Is not so bad as 1t looks, IL
has caused the word to go forth that
if it carries it will work permanent
hardship upon the oil industry In can
fornia, where thousands of dollars nave
been spent in developing oil upon land
Withdrawn from entry.
CIVIC BODIES MEET
At a luncheon at the Hollenbeck ho-
boards of the chamber of commerce,
chamber of mines and oil, Merchants
and Manufacturers association, Assocl-
ated Jobbers of Los Angeles, the Sierra
Madre club and the Los Angeles STOCK
exchange met to arrange for a mass
meeting to be held at Levy's cafe next
Wednesday night at s o'clock, for the
purpose of fully discussing the legis-
lation of oil, and for completing a
committee that will be sent to Wash
ington to instruct the legislators as to
the needs and wishes of the oil men OF
the west and especially of California.
At this luncheon 1t developed that
there was a somewhat divided opinion
among the business men of the city, as
represented there, as to the true OBJECT
of the Pickett bill, and one well posted
man Ventured the opinion that TO take
sides would be taking sides along party
lines, namely, for or against IaLt anu
the administration.
The Pickett bill confirms the with
drawal order of Secretary Ballinger last
September, and legalizes the point
raised at the time than anyone setting
upon this land would have his SQUAT
ter's right to first choice when the land
is again thrown open to entry. The
pickett bill, brief and lacking In sub
stance, when read at the luncheon,
failed to impress the auditors with its
full purport, and many questions were
raised until finally coinmlttee was
appointed to read between the lines OF
the bill and lay the facts bare. some
who claim to understand the bill say 1t
will work a hardship upon the oil in
dustry in California, and for that rea-
son all Interested in oil wish 1t side
tracked until the industry can be rep
resented at Washington by the men
most interested here.
TAKE QUICK ACTION
1t was only last Thursday that the
first information reached the coast OF
the Pickett bill, and the oil men forth
with hastened protests to the several
fields and to San Francisco and Los
Angeles, with the result that meetings
were held all over the state and vol
lev of telegrams of protest shot 10
Washington. Senator Flint wired in
consequence yesterday that he had sue
ceeded in putting the bill over until
May IL, thus giving the oil men ample
time to get their committee to wash
ington and to tell the law makers there
what they really want in the way OF
legislation.
]. M. Danziger, who furnished copy
of the Pickett bill, said by way of ex-
PLANTATION that the oil men were not SO
much opposed to the Pickett bill as mad
first been announced, but that the OBJ
ject of the meeting next wednesday
would be to complete the committee
bound for washington and to remain
there in behalf OF the oil interests in
California. All bills now pending be-
fore the two houses are opposed to each
other, 1t Is said, and for this reason
it Is believed that the representatives
of the people at washington are labor
ing In the dark and must have the ad-
vice of experienced minds. Senator
Flint is said to have wired his wish
that somebody go to washington with
a knowledge of the subject at issue.
PREPARE FOR CAMPAIGN
At the luncheon given by the cham
ber of mines and oil yesterday were
present representatives from all of the
civic organizations, and after thor
ough discussion of the Pickett bill, and
the proposed mass meeting, the follow
ing committee was appointed to repre-
sent Los Angeles at the mass meeting:
Chairman, Calvert Wilson, president
of the chamber of mines and oil; j. V.
Vickers, H. u. Osborne, representing
the chamber of commerce.; A. w. Red
man, representing the Merchants and
Manufacturers association; j. f. Lu-
cey, representing Sierra Madre club; j..
V. Neville, representing Los Angeles
stock exchange; +. p. Gregson, repre-
senting the Associated Jobbers of Los
Angeles.
committee was also appointed to
prepare and publish an explanatory let
ter, giving in, detail the views of the
oil men of California as to the danger
Gus provisions of the Pickett bill, and
explaining the necessity for the passage
of legislation which will be favorable
to the oil interests of this state, and
giving the ideas of the oil men as to
their needs in this particular.
During the luncheon kilograms were
received from T. A. O'Donnell at TX
ersfield, urging the advisability Of +
ing this mass meeting, and stating that
the oil men would be present in force
TO present their side of the case in an
endeavor to secure vigorous and con-
certed action on the part of all civic
and business organizations of Los An
geles.
association, through c. H. Plummer,
nresident, has sent the following tele-
gram to #. ]. Zeehandelaar, secretary
who is now en- route to Washington on
special train in the interest of the
Panama Pacific exposition:
''It is very important that action of
congress on proposed legislation for
regulation of government oil lands in
California be delayed until committee
can reach washington and submit facts