The Washington times., 1915-03-11
LANE WILL RECEIVE
BIDS FOR OIL LAND

Definite proposals for the leasing of
the 6s0, 600 acres of oil and gas lands be-
longing to the Usage Indians In Okla
homa will be received by Secretary Of
the Interior Lane on March =. This
was announced at the conclusion THIS
afternoon Of q thrce-day hearing In the
office of the Secretary Of the Interior
Of the various oil interests concerned In
the present Foster lease.
A sharp tilt between Secretary Lane
and Guy Marchand. of Reliance. Ohio.
marked the close Of the hearing. Mr..
/ Marchand demanded that In making
new lease the Secretary be guided by his
cool business judgment, and not by his
sympathles or fricndliness to the pres
snt lessons. whom Mr.. Marchand had
described as cold. calculating business
men who had filled the record with
bunk" They are shacked to the inter
ests. and we're sent here for a purpose.
he said.
Secretary Lane checked him with a
gesture, and demonstrated at the state
mcnt. as applied to himself and the
others.
"Thesc men," said the Secretary.
have come here In the open. Each Of
who he represents Each has laid his
hand upon the table. l ave given you
opportunity to say whom you represent.
You have not done so. Do You think
that. under the circumstances. you are
! justified In charging ulterior motives"
there as an American citizen. and asked
for scaled bids npd the awarding OF
| the lease or leases to the highest bidder.
irrespective OF sentimental or other
claims.
! The Secretary coustered ethat the
/ nite proposition. and asked Mr.. March,
and to state his proposition.
rs this not fail" the Secretary said,
M the M Sher; Mn1sSsnG nrys made ,.ne .Hs5
that he did not want to make a PROPOSE
! tion II the present leaseholders could
say we'll we'll meet that. and get the
mitted that 1t would be fair. II In such
/ bidding the present leaseholders were
| given preference on an. equal lid. He
did not disclose whom he represented.
said that the hearing would be ad-
journed to Monday week. when all in
terested must state a concrete PROPOSE
ton.
Pleas For Lessons.
| Eugene Mackey. OF New York. former
president OF the Kansas Natural Gas
Company. opened the hearing this
morning in a plea for the present les
sors as the men who had opened and
developed the Oklahoma field. and de-
c!ared they were netitled to first con.
aideration. He said that II the Indian
Territory Company was again given
the lease. that 1t be compelled to work
| It.
David J. Kelly declared that many OF
the present lessons. the small inde.
| pendent producers. we're deservNS OF
the utmost consideration in renewal. az
many Of them were not making a ltv.
ing. He rccited conditions In the oil
fields the falling of In production. de-
mand. and. consequently. price, and
said that many men were not repre-
sented at the hearing because they were
not making enough to feed themselves
William Dial. woh described himself
as a member OF the Usage nation. hav-
Ing married an Usage wife and reared
family. asked opportunity to bid for a
lease on the entire oil area. to develop
and work 1t to the best interests OF the
Osages and the people in general, He
said that the present lessons had re.
questioned by Secretary Lane on thi.
score.