The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-02-10
Oil LAW WOULD
BE A CALAMITY
Can't Prohibit Production.

Continued From Page One.)
~~~-~-~-~~~~~~~~-~-~>r
Can't Prohibit Production.
Al suggestion from Governor VII
llamS, both agreed that the commits
sioners might be- sustained In fixing
II maximum price " crude oil, but
neither they nor the state could pro
hihit producer from selling ut
less price than that which might be-
fixed The right of the state to pro
tect the natural resources against
wanton waste was not disputed, but
an attempt was made to define waste
AS that which would occur in case oil
could be sold for price sought 10 be
fixed by deduction TINT might be
subject to any dispute ana less than
what might be termed public ca
lumlty. II was cuntpndcd that the
owners Or the leases now In exist.
cuce have II vested right In those lens
rs und could not be- Disturbed 10y leg
islatiyc action. that II ,huh was at
tempted, contracts would be impaired
and tH mis- the owner was aurrguurded
by the slutr as well ns federal con
stirutions Our portion uf the bill
In section 4, Mr. Ramsey construed
woulh give the corporation commits.
sion the right to suppress production
in one oil field rs against another
and this would be- directly discrimiua
tory
Dr Ramsey declared that reflners
were not nt present making any money
la the oil business. and being asked
why 10y the governor replied that he
might refer to the corporation commits
Sion for solution Of IT, MIR Ramsey
observed that the state might legislate
10 protect its resources in preventing
waste but he did not think II could
delegate such powers 10 the corpora
tion Governor Williams suggested
that government control Of big busi
ness had set In and that II was guiug
10 continue; that It should be- done II
II did not violate unybody.s rights
and for that reason governors and
presidents should be cafeful In yrtolnl
such bills as that under discussion.
Would Impair Leases.
W. A. Ledbetter, following Mr.. Ram
.. .. H..
ment Of the latter and declared tha
under the provisions Ot the bin Il
the producer could not sell his oil a,
he could he must look 10 the commits
sion TO fix price for It. and also dis
cussed the features Of production an,
declared that no matter what tn,
terms Of contracts extending into tn,
future might be, these contracts mus
he impaired II conditions did not per
init the maker TO live up to them
Departmental leases were brOugh
into question and II was predicted b.
Messrs Mamsey and Ledbetter tina
these would be greatly impaired, AN
20 directly to the constitutional ques
tlOn involved.
Writ franklin, u prominent oil ma
Of the Healdton field contradlcted thi
latter by saying that representatives q
the department OF the interior had I'D
vlsed aud helped In drafting the bill
under discussion, and he dispelled an
anxiety from that source by saying tina
new rules would he promulgated /
comply with the provisions OF the bill
and that there would he no impair
ment of contracts from this source.
Will Be Attacked In Court
That II should be the policy Of the 20,
ernor 10 veto a bill In case NJ publ
calamity, was agreed to, hut Mr.. Iel
better routended that such conditlo
might be- possible II the measure b,
came effective. The governor su.
gested that It must first be presume
would not have passed II, and that h
would 70 on the proposition that m
burden lie on those opposed to sho,
him why he should not give his al
proyal To II that the question OF pul
lic policy must be presumed to ha,
been settled by the legislature.
The measure. II Il becomes Law
| will be- attacked In the courts in
mediately, was declared hy Mr.. Ledbe
ter, In answer to u question from III
governor II the ConstitutiOnallty Z
the measure could not be tested ei
pedltlously 1T will be- tested el
pedltlOusly if II passes the scrutiny ,
, your eye und receives your approval
said Ledbetter, The governor sugges
, ed that II might be best 10 let ia
! courts settle IL
MIR Henway VI Cushing represent
Ing the commercial clubs NJ than rit,
! Yale and Drumwrlght said that Ii
I spoke for the interests that would IA
directly effected the l0hurlnr men ,
. the oil fields There were about 10
OoO who would be- let ont of worl
! Judge l.. NJ, pupc " Tulsa declare
Y 1t would be a calamity to the nhorm
, men,
Two oil Men Favor II.
Robert Galbralth, one of the pionep
oil men Of the state, was opposed /
the bill, and filed with the governor
paper containing the reasons why h
did not want the executive approvu
" the measure Judge Matson q
Tulsa. representing number OF r,
flnrrs who had contracts which woul
run for several years, declared tina
Under the operation NJ the bill man
NJ his clients would be bankrupte,
aud that all their contracts wherel
prices had been placed ON the iefine
product had been based ON the priC
NJ crude oil.
r. W OBrien, a member OF the IroI
workers mion, " which there are
large number employed In all phss'
NJ the oil business, declared that n