Imperial Valley press., 1919-09-06
S. T. Marshall Thinks There
is Nothing in Act to In
validate Rights of Actual
Developers.
HARD FIGHT IN
OPPOSITION
Struggle Between Those in
Favor of Governmental
Monopoly and Friends of
Leasing Plan.

Passage of the Oil Land leasing bill
by the senate and reports that ma
jOrity of the house is favorable to it
coupled with statements to the effect
that the measure will invaiidate all
oil locations in Imperial county have
caused considerable excitement among
those who are interested in it's develop
ment and there is to be a meeting
Monday in Ell Centro to discuss the
matter. The Press has been unable
to find any one who has copy of the
bill but Mr.. S. 7. Marshall who has
been among those most active in oil
exploration work is Of the opinion that
it does not contain any provision
which would be retroactive against
any one engaged in the actual work
cf exploration and discovery.
What l know cf the BILL" he said
today, "has been gathered from news
paper reports and have seen nothing
in these to indicate that any rights
acquired unded existing law will be in
validated. AS l understand it the bill
gives to the Secretary of the Interior
the authority to enter into leases with
oil prospectors. That the Secretary
could or would use this authority so as
to dispossess any now engaged in work
Of exploration and discovery is not a
suggestion that causes me any un-
easiness."
A bitter fight has been made upon
the bill but those who have been fore
most in it have based their opposition
upon the ground that the government
should go into oil exploitation busi-
ness on its own account and shut all
others out.
Existing conditions in the business
of oil exploration have grown out of
orders made by ex-President Taft ten
years ago. withdrawing from entry
large are4 Of land which government
geologists believed to be potential oil
producing lands. These withdrawal or
ders included extension of proved oil
land areas in California including much
acreage around the centers of the pro-
which claims had been filed and ma
jority of which were in the hands of
the big producers. These claims were
filed under mining laws which in turn
grew out of mining practice after the
gold placer discoveries in California in
the "Davs of '49". Under these laws
discovery of mineral was the first
and indispensable condition upon
which legal entry could be made.
1t is impossible to get "color" of
oil until the explorer gets deep into
the earth and the United States Pub
, lie Land Office recognized entries
without "discovery." The courts have
since held that this recognition was
without the law. Under these decisions
the government has taken over pro-
ducing wells worth many millions
of dollars that were brought into pro-
duction on the lands withdrawn after
withdrawal orders and the fight be-
tween the radicals who wish com,
plete government ownership and op-
Grafton and the conservatives who ia
vor leasing with royalties to the gov,
ernment has been on ever since. "'.
The following statement in bul
letin issued weekly by the California
industries board gives the viewpoint
of the lease advocates:
"The Public Lands committee of the
Senate has acted favorably on th'
bill for the leasing of government
owned oil lands by unanimous vote
Included in the bill are provision