Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-28

and early part Of the afternoon against
! conservation, a policy that has become
so popular, it was but natural that
the congress in justice to all fac
| tions, should hear from the other side.
Thomas e. Gibbon of Los Angeles,
who has both oil and copper interests,
| spoke on conservation.
Mr.. Gibbon said that he had a wide
| acquaintance among the prospectors
and miners and had not heard one of
them oppose conservation. The oppo-
sition, he inferred, was on the part of
| the big interests or those who had not
fully considered the problem.
A point not previously touched upon
by either the conservationists or the
antis, Mr.. Gibbon made clear when he
said that the present state of Califor-
mia was purchased from Mexico with
taxes exacted from the people OF the
east. This statement was to quiet the
complaint that the east was seeking to
rob the west of the natural resources
which by right Of priority belong to
the western people.
"All the people bought these lands"
said Mr.. Gibbon, land all the people
are entitled to them"
THE east believes 1t has a right to
its share of the profits, and as the
government proposes to use these lands
to the best interests of all the people
1 see no cause for complaint"
GIBBON DISCUSSES OIL
Referring to oil, the much mooted
question in California today, Mr.. Glib
bon followed Mr.. Pinchot in advocat-
ing the right of the locators prior to
withdrawal receiving patents when 1t
was demonstrated by diligent endeavor
that they were entitled to patent. He
brought out the important point that
oil in California is the only fuel and
the only power, considering power, of
course, in the primal state of genera
tion, and in advancing the policy of
conservation, said tnat 1t would be but
few years before all these lands (the
fuel and power of the state) would
be wrested from the people, unless i'm
mediate steps were taken to conserve
the lands for their benefit.
Speaking of the water power prob
lem, Mr.. Gibbon told of talk he had
with the owners Of a great water right
in the Sierra Madre mountains, right
that comprised something like 100000
horse power He said that this mo-
nopoly by a single man had deprived
a rich valley of power, and all else
that is dependent upon water. He
said that this man had locked up
against the people that which belonged
to them-that which, If released, would
bring comfort and plenty to thousands.
do you think the United States gov
ernment acted as g. true trustee in per-
mitting a condition of that kind to
arise?" asked Mr.. Gibbon, amid ap-
plause.
TELLS COPPER SITUATION
In relation to copper Mr.. Gibbon re-
ferred to the present monopoly, adding
that there were six interests in the
field which could combine and control
all the pyicfinp Drnnprfipd Of
the United States, both patented and
unpaterted, and such a combine would
naturally follow if the present gov
ernmental condition were permitted to
remain.
"And what I say of copper can be
said of OIL" added Mr. Gibbon.
An Oil company in which Mr.. Gibbon
is interested has had trouble recently
in marketing its OIL 1t Is a company
that has made good in development
and production. Without mentioning
any names Mr., Gibbon said that this
company was compelled to sell it's pro-
ductlon for 25 cents a barrel at the we'll
because 1t had no transportation in
terests, while others who were favored
were getting much better prices for
their oil at the well.
Mr.. Gibbon said that there were four
interests in California seeking to con-
troll the oil industry, as against six
interests in copper. He said that the
big interests can turn out what oil
they wish and that in about five years
there would be no more land left, all
being controlled by the interests that
would naturally work together, all of
which would be gradually absorbed by
the Standard OIL company.
AS to the purpose of the government
in regard to conservation, Mr.. Gibbon
said it is to let the people have the
natural resources which belong to
them. He emphasized the fact that
after the government had taken the