The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-04-20
OPPOSES FEDERAL CONTROL
Will Combat Insane Agitation
for Government Owner
ship Says in Letter.
WALKER MAY ALSO RESIGN
Rumor Is He viii Step Down
AS State Is Shorn Of Power;
No Acceptance Yet.

" - Humphrey Of Nowata, chair
man OF the state corporation COM
mission, has sent his resignation to
Governor Robertson.
In his letter tho governor
Chairman Humphrey hin.ei at one
OF tho reasons for hts acton. lie
wrote. "ln my opinion. tho grea.-
~, ,ervicF one can render his couu-
Try at this time ls 10 combat unre-
scrNcdly this insane agitation for
rovcrnmcnt ownership and control
over all public utilities"
THAT, In the opinion OF men who
have studied state affairs. IL only
one OF several reasons for tn, ic,lOp
hy tho commissioner, In fact II
would not be ~ all surpr sing to men
who are on the Inside" IL Chair
man Humphreys resignation will
soon he followed by tha. OF Art
Walker. n member OF the commits
sion. II = even suggested that tho
"dislntegration" OF the commission
IN now under way, although, Of
course, there Is no way OF abolish
lDg It except by amen 'lng the COM
stitution
Serves No PURPOSE.
Whatever may be Charn.a'. Hum
phrcys rcasona for resgairT. there
can he no DENYING OF the statement
that under present onniilions, the
commission IL serving no purpose
whi'h makes II worth the cos. TO tho
people that 70 is coEtinK With the
exception uf the oil and gas conserv-
alton bureau which IL operated un-
der the direction ~ the commission,
ana which IN performing genuine
service 10 the oil fraternity and TO
the public. the comm ssijn is vlr-
tuaily without power except insofar
as II has the power tn regulate
those public utilities which are not
under government control This waI
ernlized by members OF The leglHla,-
mrc who treatad appropriation
measures having 10 do with the com
mission In accordance with their
Views that the commission was
really serying no useful purpose cx-
cept IN connection with the oil and
gaE Industry Tho cost OF maintain
Ing this bureau. some members OF
the legislature Insisted. ought no.
to have been taxed against the COM
mission but should have been ap-
plcnble TO separate department;
and not co-ordlnated with tho work \
OF the commission
Tho legislature was not friendly
toward tho commission at any time
and thy feeling was intensified when
NSiOner Campbell Russell I'm "A
letter which he sent 10 each mem
her ~ the senate. made statements
which were not calculated 10 soOthe
their feelings, A resolution which
was designed 10 bring about I'm
pcachmcnt charges was referred 10
tho house ~ representatives, which
body, however, dld nothing with IT,
Shurn uf Authority.
t'udcr government control Of rail-
roads telegraph and telephone
Ines tho commission has been vlr-
'ullly Hhoru uf tho authority which
was vested IN 10 under the cons'itu-
'iou ana % IL argued by those who
would do away with 81. that the
stat" ir paying out annually thou.
sIudr uf dollars FOR which IL receives
mo- return whatever
'0wu|- |-nuuor Humphrey has been
3 hiND' OPPONENT OF government Cuu-
rul Commissioner walker Is known
u bp a bitter opponent ~ covert
n.ut rou'rp' There have been ru-
urrs that Commissioner Walker has
.oc"ivcd several fltterinr offers 10
'nEtEo I'm private business lie
worked Individuality ju hphnlr OF
b." uuWmnao.s appropriation pro-
.wiu on tho floors of house and SEN
I'r while 'ho lrr'sn'Uvn was IN scs-
uU when the prHgrIm failed 10
.n through us originally moppe-l out.
m'Whrrg OF 'he cnmui -s.nn are re-
."'"l to have said lIpt the COM
r..H..nU could not D 'oNcr'y function
.. .. . 10 4 a..