Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-05-09
MEXICO To DEFINE
RIGHT Of ALIENS
To OWN OIL LANDS
Caranza Declares Necessity
Of Organic Law Governing
Petroleum Production Grows
Daily More Important,
BY Robert II. Murray.
(Stnff Correspondent Of the World
Copyright. 1919. by the Press Publish
ing. %
tThe New York World.
Especial Gable Dispatch.

Mexico City, May S.-Prosident Car
rama will send to congress very soon
the draft of q law defining the rights OF
foreign owners of Mexican petroleum
lands and purchasers or lessees of oil
hearing properties under article
XVII of the new constitution.
The necessity of eXpediting tho
passage of an organic law covering the
production Of petroleum and other
comhustible minerals grows more ina
porlant daily" said the President.
Fortunately the members of congress
Will share in the serene good will with
which the executive, despite obstacles
originating within and without this
country, has aspired to consolidate
the natural resources of Mexico and to
guide his actions with entire regard
to law and equity.
Upon initiating the regulation of
the oil industry in conformity to ar
ticle XVII. of the constitution. it was
far from the governments intentions
to seek to impart a right system for
state control to the prejudice Of for
eign interests, 1t was sought merely to
do away with any extraordinary priv
ilege, and to place MeXicans upon the
same level as foreigners without the
nation asserting more rights than her
sovereignty invests her with, and with
out giving rise to more complaint than
is directed at present toward the regu-
latlon, of any special natural product
as for example, minerals. ~
There will not be revealed in the
projected law. oven ,hy Scrhtini2ing
those parts of il which, may he judged
to be most novel, and provisions which
conflicts with legislation previously
encated or in contradiction with Mex
ico's colonial regulations" President
Carranza continued THE rights of
third parties, providing they are ac-
CURED in legal form and without com
flict with our laws have been respect
ed in the project which the executive
will offer. and which, he is sure, will
merit the appreciation of congress 1t
is worthy of comment that the par
ticipation of the state proposed in the
law is less than that imposed by other
nations upon the production OF petro-
ieum.
Guided by Justice.
The executive in my charge has
taken pains to indicate that, in the
formation of laws required for the
prosperity and well being of this
country, he has been guided by no
other tendency than that of a strong
sense Of justice, regardless Of whether
the interests affected are material or
those Of purely moral nature.
The consequence, in Offering this
new petroleum law, the executive has
sought most sincerely to demonstrate
his endeavor to comply with the re-
uuirements of the constitution to dis
tiuguish between acts which will re-
suit in benefit to the state and those
which will harm it, proceeding. in diff
Terminating them, in . spirit of recti-
tude and serene justice.
1T is to be expected that congress,
animated by some equanimity and
ideas Of justice, will know how to de-
! eide this problem with prudence and
hghmindedness"