Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-01
BLACK URGES OIL MEN
TO JOIN ASSOCIATION
Great Benefits Can Be Derived
From Mid-Continent
Organization.
(Rv GEO. e. RI.ACKN

Subscriptions for membership in the
Iid-Continent OIL X Gas association
are now coming in daily from persons
'hruout the mid-continent field. This
IS as il should be for il is apparent to
hose who have given thot to the tax
laws as applied to the oil and gas in
1ustry that such laws are drastic and
excessive. These laws must be revised
md an organized effort Is the method
recognized as the best to secure this
result. 1t is not in the mind, how
ever, of any affiliated with this or
sitnization to protest again paying rev.
enue to the government to the fullest
extent needed as long as the rates
fixed and applied are fair and equal
compared to rates and application on
other industries.
Placing a tax on the output Of an
oil well before the return of the
amount invested I'm drilling and equip
ment and only allowing Il small arbi-
trary deduction for deterioration and
depletion which experience has shown
is far below the average. results in
nothing more or less than a consump-
tion of the principal. and unless
changed will seriously imperil the
business.
Producing Hazardous Business.
oil producing and oil refining Is n
hazardous business; it Is a risk out of
the ordinary at any stage entered
upon; this seems to be entirely dis
regarded or overlooked by public au-
thorities; it cannot be treated in the
same category as fixed. stable and per-
mancnt properties and fixtures. Tax
laws cannot he enacted that will OPP
crate equal, nor can they be absolutely
uniform, but sound principles can be
applied; n system fundamentally un-
sound results in discrimination. The
oil industry has been Disseminated
against and will continue to be until
the business is understood by those
who undertake to legislate on the sub
ject. This implies also that the legis-
latures will be fair and just when the
truth is ascertained. A central agency
armed with sound and correct data
can aid the legislative departments by
giving out the truth about the bust
ness. A fortiori-an organization
representative of the whole oil and
gas industry, can command justice
What applies to legislation obtains
relative to state and federal depart
ment officials and appointees as 1t
seems such persons clothed with ad-
ministrative and executive functions
also undertake legislation. To hold
In check such persons and secure the
eeXrcise of their proper legal func-
tions, and none other, should have the
attention OF the association. Many
times department heads having no re-
gard for previous solemn acts have
sought to disturb titles and have ex-
acted payments by tying up oil runs
to secure compromise which could not
have been by judicial decree. Again
there has been instances wherein l.ti-
gants who advocated questions vital
to the whole industry were unable TO
employ capable talent and make a
proper preparation for trial of the
case and as consequence incorrect
judicial decisions resulted.
Should Watch Such Cases.
The organization can do well for
everyone engaged In the business by
watching such cases, II any arise
again. and offer its good offices in
seeing the cases are properly handled
to final determination.
Another thing of vital Importance
within the purview OF this organiza-
tion Is the arrest and conviction OF
thieves who have been stealing casing
and junk from leases A reward OF
800 has been offered for the appre-
hension and conviction OF anyone
stealing any property from member.
These thieves commit other crimes
and are dangerous to the continuity
and must be eliminated.
The organization Is not for political
purposes. but the members will likely
be urged to become more active In
political affairs to the end that fair