Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-05-20
Wants a Practical Board.

bHlAn NV appointment ~ u pIh'
tical bonrd OF make ruled for con
serving gas and oil, they evidently
conferred favor on the oil and gal
men because It has brought Oh
clearly the various phases Of th'
situation as II exists IN oklahoma.
They give credit to the corpora
b tlon commission Of the state for be
- ing fair which is probably correct
hut fan to mention that most Of ms
Legislation comforting double power
l on said corporation commission has
been brought about by the efforts
! Of this same commission, in other
words politics enters into the situa-
tlon Just as It does In everything con
neCted with the administration OF
nffairs AT the state capital and this
is what the oil men are objectinR
, To and viii strive hard To correct 10y
"lcotlng a Republican governor this
r fall
There Is a strong feeling against
the political bunch and II includes
in ITS scope some who may be fair
or strive ~ be fair but the fact re-
mains that in all things pertaining
20 oil or gus, everything that has
been done with view Of hurting
the largest industry In the state and
I'm no instance that can be mentioned
has there been any legislation tend
ing to help or build up the industry
Their greediness In taxing Indian
| lands hos reacted ana they taxed oil
> per cent on gross production on
! all lands alike. 1t would have been
! paid without protest,
In the statement prepared by Rice
| & Lyons 1t Is proposed 10 do away
with the power conferred upon the
/ corporation commission OF making
/ its own laws aud then sitting In
| judgment thereon. II s of course.
. the main feature and is not written
to show that there is a great waste
of oil or gas but quite the contrary.
II may have that effect, however,
as the authors have received a let
ter from NJ, l.. Eequa in which he
states that he has given the pnmph-
let some attention and has turned 1t
over to Thomas A. O'Donnell for
| further action. The conclusion OF
| the statement follows:
The matter of securing conser-
| walton without decreasing the pro-
| duction OF oil or gas and without
| undue Interference with the oil op-
orators, II Is "a serious problem. The
operator looks at the matter from
his standpoint, and in consideration
OF the hazards OF his business and
his experience and success in the
conduct OF II, heard with impatience
what he regards as criticism OF his
methods by men who have not had
similar experience. on the other
hand. the state authorities, acting
In the very best OF faith and with
entire fairness, conclude that tho op-
! orator not only makes no effort TO
effect conservation but Is not in
sympathy with the principles upon
! which II Ia based and has disre-
gard OF the rights OF the public. The
situation leads to misunderstanding,
criticism and eventually hostility
We believe that both the operators
and the state authorities are in the
best OF faith.
we think, therefore, that the
proper remedy for the situation is
10 rest the authority TO make the
conservation rules In a board on
which both shall be represented.
with the preponderating power
lodged In the state officials BY
this means. the responsibilities of
enforcing conservation are placed
In part directly upon the operators
whose blsiness rs recognized and
speciricA1ly represented IN The per
Sonnel of the body charged with the
duty pot making proper rules ana
regulations. The oil and gas man
VIII fccl a keener interest and q
more active obligation 10 carry out
the rules promulgated by such a
body
1T is evident that the most ef-
fective conservation can come only
frSm tho free, willing, and whole
heated efforts OF the producers.
When they are entirely In sym
pathy with tie conservation rules
PROMULGATED ly a body On which
they have representatives every
operator viii become an active ad-
mlristratcr Of true conservation.
mo criticism is intended to be
conveyed against the rules promul-
gated by the corporation commits
sion. However, the feeling exists
that the members Of the commits
sion, w,iie entirely fair and Impair
ttal have not Rad practical eNpcr.-
once in tho oil and gas business, and
that the PRONUNCIATION OF such rules
requires certain amount of tech
meal knowledge. which can be
gained only 10y actual experience.
we believe. therefore, that Civ
ING the oil and gas operators repre-
sentation on the conservation board
viii insure the hearty and effective
SO operation VIII, Of course, bring
far greater and more beneficial re-
suits than can ever be attained
when the members of the business
sought to be affected are not in
en$+rc sympathy with the rules and
. regulations.
/ ''N e.hclieve that the proper func-
/ ton OF the corporation commission
/ "a 10 conduct hearings relative TO
/ Questions based on the law aud
/ rules 1nd regulations The com.
( missions wide experience in the
/ matter Of holding hearings gelatjye
/ 20 'phe conduct OF industriap activ-
tiles, It's location at the central seat
of o"crnment, and the fact that Il
is constantly IN session, make IL an
[ ideal body for this purpose The
concurrent iurisdicu OF the dis
/ trict courts should be exercised only
4 IN matters which II is inconvenIent
| for the commission to determine.
In view of the present urgent re-
| quirements OF oil and gas for fuel
and power the necessity for con
svrNation cannot he ioo greatly EN-
phas,zed. The Crly matter OF greater
| imnortance connected with the
subject Is the Imperative need for
the fullest VI o6uction possible of
hoth commodities. We trust thai
the suggestions herein contained
may ala In bringing aoout the max
imum production Of oil and gas
with the minimum waste.
tsigned) RICE & LYONS.