Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-07

NcfStll auopllOn OF the lcdSlnS system
wherever oil land is in private own
ership. The government thus would
not be entering on an experiment. but
simply putting into effect a plan sue
cessfully operated in private contracts.
Why should not the government as a
land owner deal directly with the oil
producer rather than through the in
tervcntion of a middleman to whom
the government gives title to the
land?
The principal underlying feature OF
such legislation should be the exer-
else of beneficial control rather than
the collection of revenue As not only
the largest owner of oil lands, but as
a prospective large consumer of oil by
treason of the increasing use of fuel oil
by the navy, the federal govern
ment is directly concerned both in en-
couraging rational development and
lat the same time insuring the longest
possible life to the oil supply. The
royalty rates fixed by the government
should neither exceed nor fan below
the current rates. But much more i'm
portant than revenue is the enforce
ment of regulations to conserve the
public interest so that the covenants
of the lessees shall specifically safe
guard oil fields against the penalties
|
duction in excess OF transportation
facilities or of market requirements.
One of the difficulties presented.
especially in the California fields. is
that the Southern Pacific railroad
owns every other section of land in
the oil fields, and In those fields the
OIL seems to be in a common rescr-
voir, or series OF reservoirs, cOmmuni-
eating through the oil sands, so that
the excessive draining of oil at one
well, or on the railroad territory gem
orally, would exhaust the oil in the
government land. Hence II is inn
have its share of the oil it should be.
gin the opening and development OF
wells on its own property.
In view Of the joint ownership
which the government and the adj
Joining land owners like the South
ern Pacific railroad have I'm the oil
reservoirs below the surface, IL is q
most interesting and intricate ques-
tion, difficult Of solution, but one
which ought to address itself at once
to the state lawmakers, how far the
state legislature might impose appro-
pirate restrictions to secure an equit-
able enjoyment of the common reser-
voir, and to prevent waste and exces-
having access to this reservoir.
1t has been suggested, and believe
the suggestion to be sound one,
that permits be issued to a prospector
for oil giving him the right to pros
pect for two years over a certain tract
of government land for the discovery
Of oil the right TO be evidenced by a
license for which he pays a small
sum. When the oil is discovered, then
he acquires title under a mining law.
OF course, il the system of leasing Is
adopted, then he would be given the
benefit of lease upon terms like that
above suggested. What has been said
in respect to oil applies also to gov
ernment gas lands.
Under the proposed oil legislation,
especially where the government oil
lands embrace an entire oil field, as
in many cases, prospectors, operators,
consumers, and the public can be
benefited by the adoption of the leas-
ing system. The prospector can be
protected in the very expensive work
that necessarily antedates discovery;
the operator can be protected against
impairment of the productiveness of
the wells which he has leased by rea-
son of control of drilling and pump
ing Of other wells too closely ada
cent, or by the prevention of inn
proper methods as employed by care
less, ignorant, or irresponsible oper-
ators in the same field which result
in the admission of water to the oil
sands. while of course the consumer
will profit by whatever benefits the
or operator receives in re-
lucing the first cost of the oil.
Phosphate Lands.
Phosphorus is one of the three I
to plant growth, the other
elements being nitrogen and potash.
)f these three. phosphorus is by all
odds the scarcest element in nature.
{ is easily extracted in useful form
rom the phosphate rock, and the
United States contains the greatest
,nown deposits of this rock in the
world. They are found in Wyoming,
ltah. Idaho and Florida as well as in
south Carolina, Georgia and Tennes-
ee. The government phosphate lands
re confined to Wyoming, Utah,
daho, and Florida. Prior te March
4, 1909. there were 4,446.29S acres
githdrawn from agricultural entry on
he ground that the land covered
hosphate rock. Since that time, D.
69,77G acres OF the land thus with
rawn were found not to contain ,
ilbSDHNlt III
lille 1,67S,000 acres were classified
roperly as phosphate lands. During {
lis administration there have been ,
ithdrawn and classified 437,673
,rcs, so that today there are classi-
ed as phosphate rock land 9,514,I95 I
res. This rock is most important in :
le composition of fertilizers to inn /,
rove the soil, and as the future Is :
rtain to create an enormous demand =
this country for fertiliza- a
Dn. the value TO the public OF such '
posts as these can hardly be exag =
rated. Certainly with respect to
ese deposits a careful policy OF CON n
rvation should be followed. Half OF >,
e phosphate of the rock that is a.
ined in private fields in the United !.
ates is now exported. AS our farm 4,
& methods grow better the demand ~
r the phosphate will become great A.
and IL must be arranged so that =
Q supply shall equal the needs OF the !, !"
untry. II is uncertain whether the =.
acer or lode law applies to the gov :, :,
nment phosphate rock. There is, -
erefore. necessity for some definite -
Il well considered legislation on =.
Is subject, and in aid of such legis- =,
ion all of the government lands ,,
own to contain valuable phosphate VI
tx are now Withdrawn from entry "
law that would provide a leasing pl
item for the phosphate deposits. to- s'
her with a provision for the sep
ltiOn Of the surface and mineral VI
hts as is already provided for in the 81
- OF coal, would seem to meet the pt