Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-25
LOOKS LIKE GOVERNMENT
WOULD IGNORE OIL MEN
Meeting Is Called to Bring Before
Public Facts and Wishes
of Industry
TRICKY POLITICS INVOLVED
Attitude of Eastern RevoIutioniStS
Against Western Interests
StirS Operators to Action

The California oil World in its issue
today will say:
No one seems to perceive clearly
the present attitude of the government
toward those who are and have been
developing the national oil lands but
whose patents have not yet been OBJ
tanned. However, that the govern
ment officials in charge of the land
department are decidedly more aVerse
than formerly to the granting of titles
and are throwing in the way legal
obstacles which formerly did not serve
to impede progress toward patent is
proved by recent rulings. The bureau
is positively antagonistic where once
it was so favorable that this states
great industry was built up as if in
a day, to the benefit of every inhab-
liant of the coast and in considerable
promotion of the nations prosperity.
The rulings referred TO Will diSconcert
and interrupt the progress and con-
tinuance of that industry, bringing in
train in proportionate measure a
lessening of those benefits and re-
duction of that prosperity.
So much for the rulings general et-
feet. More specifically, they will make
for the destruction of enterprise and
investment in California oil fields to
an extent such that the complete re-
suits will be staggering. Oil operators,
distinctly as such; investors, residing
wherever they may be, east, west,
north or south; business concerns and
the populations of towns in and near
by the oil territories, workers upon the
leases, manufacturers and their en-
ployes, supply houses and banks which
have extended credit-all these Will be
seriously hurt and some irretrievably
ruined. 1t is impossible, of course, to
q 10
damage certain to ensue, but whoever
gives the subject the earnest attention
it's Importance deserves will be driven
to the conclusion that what may rea-
sonably be denominated calamity
impends.
NOT TOO LATE
1t is not yet too late to evade and
avoid the calamity impending, for it
is impossible to believe that the land
department officials when made ac-
quainted with the assured conse-
quences of their recent acts will per-
sist in maintaining the position they
have but recently assumed. Their
new rulings amount to a complete re-
versal of the departments attitude
held to during a long series of years:
To set aside the harmful rulings VIII
simply mean a re-taking of the posi-
tion heretofore occupied-the reinstat-
ing of a policy which led to the mag
nificent development of the Kern River
and Coalinga oil fields, and to the early
operations in Sunset, Midway, MARI
copa and McKittrick
In order that the authorities at
Washington shall be made fully cog
infant of what their new interpreta-
ton of the law implies, a mass meet
ing of those most directly interested
has been called to meet at Bakers
field on September 4, at which time
and place it is planned an organiza-
tion shall be effected, the purpose Of
this organization to be the providing
for a fair and rational presentation
of the situation as convincingly as
possible to the department, to the END
that oil ventures initiated under con-
ditions heretofore prevailing shall be
permitted to proceed to patent in
manner identical with the procedure
obtaining when the oil properties now
decided were earned from the govern
ment.
DOES NOT CONCERN CONSERVATION
The question now being discussed is
not necessarily connected with nor
part of the great question of conserVa-
ton of national resources, now so
prominent as a topic of public inter-
est, and it is to be hoped that the two
will not be fused at the September 4
meeting. The two are distinct, and
their consideration at the same time
as if they were of the same nature
would seriously disturb deliberations,
resulting in a working at cross pur-
poses and in a mental confusion
capable of rendering the whole effort
Intellectual and abortiVe.
Since this convention was suggested
on this page in it's issue of a week
ago, the California Oil World has been
assured from a large number of sources
of a widespread appreciation of the
situations criticalness. There will be
an attendance of many strong men,
but every person directly interested is
urged to be present to contribute ideas,
facts and suggestions in order that the
wisest and most intelligent course
possible to be pursued may be deter
mined upon and adopted