Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-03-26

OKLAHOMA CITY. March 25. -
That the oil interests and not the peo-
pie who were the users OF gas were
behind the bill making gas pipe lines
common carriers and common pur-
chasers and the result of the Carr bill
now before the governor for approval
or disapproYal. would be very injurl-
Gus to the Oklahoma Natural Gas
company and more than likely cause
an ultimate increase in rates of gas
to consumers. We're the arguments
made by c. b. Ames, representing the
Oklahoma Natural In hearing be-
fore Governor Cruce Tuesday.
That the proposed law Is unconsti-
tutlonal and unjust was declared by
Mr.. Ames, who stated that 1t border
ed on socialism, in that it would COM
pei n division OF profit between those
who had something with those who
had nothing; to maintain thriftless
interest by one more thrifty. That
the measure was unconstitutional he
said by compelling the Oklahoma
Natural to buy gas from others would
deprive them of the use of their own
wells which they had discovered after
much outlay of money and great ex-
pense In constructing line, the right
OF way Of which had been purchased
by the company, which was not
common carrier and which had never
made any pretenses of being a COM
mon carrier.
Natural gas is as much n private
commodity as coal was the argu-
ment of Mr.. Ames, and could not be
a commercial comodity until 'reduc-
ed to possession, and that to deprive
the company of its right to sell its
own commodity, or restrict it in the
quantity it should be allowed to sell,
would amount to violation of the
constitutional provision which pro-
hibits conhscation of property with
out due process of law.
The only argument, in the opinion
OF Mr. Ames, that would Justify the
contention that the Oklahoma Natural
should purchase gas from other wells
was that it might be trust, and he
said the company was not trust.
hut a private company, buying It's own
right of way. constructing its own
pipe line and using gas from its own
property. The company had to drill
thirty eight dry holes, he said before
they found gas In any merchantable
quantity.
Discussing many phases of the re-
suits Of the Carr law, should it be-
come effective. Mr.. Ames declared
hat It L.
was difficult for the Oklahoma natural
to supply its own gas through its pipe
line to meet the demand, and if il
were compelled to buy gas from 9TH
er wells. or transmit other gas
through its pipe lines, there would be
very serious decline of its own
profits, and with increasing cost OF
maintaining the lines, under the pro-
posed law. there would save to be a
considerable increase in the cost OF
gas and that would necessarily have
to he borne by the consumers.
There Is severe penalty provided
in the proposed law for violating it's
provisions. No more than 25 per cent
of the amount of the gas can be taken
from any one well. Sometimes, Mr.
Ames said. 1t was necessary to take
40 per cent during the winter and
then the supply was not near up to
the demand. A result of such
provision would be to limit the supply
of gas so that many consumers would
necessarily be cut off
John Leahy. representing the other
side OF the question. argued that the
proposed law was a good one in that
1t would prevent the powerful corpor-
alton with facilities at hand to own
leases in a common gas field and con.
sumo the gas supply that must neces-
sarily In time make drain on other
owners Of lands In field :
where there is a common gas pool
have rights In common. All may not
be able to construct pipe lines and
convey their product to n market. II
would be unjust to permit big cor
able to do II to tap that COM
mon pool and convey the supply away
which must in time also drain the
other holdings.
II is understood that oil men in
general favor the approval of the
Carr bill. because in future they may
develop gas wells instead of oil and
they would he able to secure benefits
under the law which they do not now
nor could receive should the law be