The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-09-12
|O|L LEASE Bill
PASSES SENATE
AMENDMENT TO PERMIT PREsI-
DENT TO FIX PRICES FOR OIL
is VOTED DOWN
STANDARD OIL CO. FLAlLED
Some Senators AlIeae Big Oil COM
pany is Behind Measure, While
Others See DifferentIy-Roy-
atty Basis for Leases

Washington. Sept. +. = Without a
| record vote the senate yesterday. after
"a 12-hour session, passed the bill to
make possible the leasing of public
lands having deposits of oil, coal, gas
phosphate and sodium.
| An amendment to the bin which
would have authorized the president
| to fix and control the prices of coal,
| oil and other products derived from
government lands leased under the
measure was rejected earlier, As to 10.
1t was Offered by Senator LaFollette,
Republican. Wisconsin, and met
strong opposition from western sem
ators.
Senator Lenroot. Republican. Wis
consin, declared the LaFollette amend
ment would further perpetuate the
control of the Standard Oil company
and would result in fixing the price
of oil refined by independents while
the STANDARD Oil company would go.
free
Senator Pittman, democrat, Saiu
the effect of the amendment would be
TO control the price of only one-tenth
of the oil produced in this country.
Senator LaFollette. in urging the.
amendment again assailed the Stand
ard Oil company and said that unless
some steps were taken TO control
prices the public eventually would de-
mand that action be directed even
against the Standard Oil company and
the other monsters that have this
country by the throat"
In passing the measure, the senate
approved amendments offered by SEN
ator Harris. Democrat, Georgia. which
would provide that under the Clayton
antitrust act oil companies may not
charge different prices in various
parts of the country.
Another amendment which its au-
thor, Senator Harris, said would cause
the constituent companies of the
Standard Oil company soon to become
in ownership in fact as
well as in name, was adopted. This
would prohibit stock
holders of corporations producing
petroleum and its byproduots from
acquiring stock in another corpora
tion similarly engaged if both corpor-
ations have been created in con-
Torrance with "A court dissolution de-
cree or for the purpose of avoiding
under antitrust acts.
With the exception of the Harris
the fate of which is I'M
certain in the house. the leasing meas
ure, as to important features was
passed as reported by the house lands
Consideration of the bill
was marked by bitter debate during
which Senator LaFollette who in the
last six days has spoken more than
20 hours. and other senators charged
that the bill was for the benefit of
the Standard Oil company. During the
debate yesterday the Wisconsin sena-
tor charged that the Influence of the
oil interests could he found every
where. and that the Standard OIL com
oany and its associates We're artempt-
ng to Influence the senate's action ON
he German treaty and the league of
nations.
Leasing Of land under the bill is
placed under the secretary of the In
-erior and in the case of coal lands
he bill provides for royalty If not
ess than five cents or more than 90
.ents ton shall be paid. Alaska coal
ands are excluded from the bill and
provision authorizing the sale Of lands
Is propoSpd in tbp leasing hill LAST
ession will be eliminated.
Royalties on oil lands would be not
ess than 121a per cent or more than
. per cent upon production. while for
phosphate the royalty would be = per
ent of the gross value of production
nd one-eighth of production for
odium.