The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-02-08
DISCUSSES OIL MEASURE
Cannot Be Put Into Effect Immediately y
But Final Result to Be Desired
Ardmore, Okla, Feb. 6, 1915.

"
the senate without amendment, and
which will become a law when signed
by Governor Williams, would say that
its greatest effect will be the elimina
tion of the enormous waste of crude
oil, which has in the past taken place
in the production of same, more es-
pecially when the fields are new and
the production great
Under this law the State of Okla
homa through the Corporation Com
mission will have absolute power to
regulate the production of oil and to
prevent the rich and powerful indi-
yiduals or corporations from oyer-rid-
ng their neighbors and draining the
oil from under their lands, because of
their superior financial ability to build
steel tanks and carry on development
on a large scale at time when there is
not a market for all the oil that can
be produced In the past it has been
he custom, in all the oil fields of the
United States, for the different produc-
ars in the field to compete in a mad
contest, whether there happened to
De a market demand for the oil or not,
at a reasonable price, to see who could
reduce to possession the most oil, each
being possessed with the idea of de-
veloping his property as quickly as
possible, in the hope that by so doing
he might be able to get some of his
neighbor's oil. This has resulted in
the production of oil at times greatly
in excess of pipe line and transporta
tion facilities, and consequently, at
such times, in the reduction of the
price of the crude, and as a necessary
consequence during such periods
large volumes of oil has gone down
the creeks and been wasted, thus be-
ing lost to the state, and no one get
ting the benefit of this great natural
resource, which, unlike cotton or corn
cannot be reproduced year after year,
but when once taken from the deposi-
tory, where nature has placed it, is
gone forever. AS a consequence of
the above method and custom in the
production of oil, the rule has been
an unstable condition and spasmOdic
rise and fall of price, with the conse-
luence that the producer of oil at one
time might feel himself extremely
well off, and in few days be the
victim of a condition brought about by
absolutely beyond his con
troll, which would leave him little bet
ter than a pauper, and all the time
the waste incident to such methods
must be paid by the ultimate consum-
er.
conditions have also resulted in great
injury to the labOring men in the oil
ItluS. AZ OuC lllllt liltiC " III DC
more work than the men can do with
apparent steady employment in view
for months to come, while in few
days, conditions may change so rapid
y, that practically all of the men, will
be without employment, and with moth
ng to which they can turn.
| believe that the present bill ad-
in proper manner, as we
Know it will be by our corporation
will bring stability to the
Ill business, that measure of steadi-
less which is enjoyed by practically |
I'll large industries, resulting in steady
Profits to the producer of oil, steady
for the men engaged in
is production, and by the elimination
# waste it should result in cheaper
efined products to the consumer. I'm
Ter the bill it will be impossible for
he rich and powerful to take more
han their just share of the oil from
ny common pool, and the man of
mall means will be given the pro-
ection, when engaged in the produc-
ion of oil that all other business men
ave Section of the bill will either
over the price of the refined prod
cts to the consumer, or raise the
rice of the crude 10 the producer
n other words, in the future, unlike
he past, there must be some relation
'etween the price of the crude oil
nd the refined products.
| do not wish to be understood as
aging that this bill will bring imme-
late relief to the Healdton field, for
it will take some little
ime for the corporation commission to
nut the provisions of the law into eff
ect, but there is no doubt in my mind
hat conditions in the oil industry in