The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-10-06
cARRANzA'S ACTS ILLEGAL
Declares Association of Producers of Pc
troleum.

Washington, d. c., Oct. FIN formal
representations filed with the state de-
partment, the Association of Producers
of Petroleum takes issue with recent
declarations made in Mexico City by
Leon Salinas, acting head Of the Mex
lean department of industry and com.
merce and chief Of the oil bureau of that
department, justifying the CarEanza
governments attitude on the coniscation
question. Beside refuting statements by
Salinas, the petroleum producers again
charge that the acts of the Carranza
government against which they complain
are in violation Of the laws of Mexico
itself and in contrayention of the accept
ed laws of nations.
IL is admitted says the statement,
that the question Of proprietorship OF
coal lands in Mexico and the Spanish
colonies was subject of contention; but
nowhere in the Spanish grants or subse.
quent ordinances of the Spanish crown
was petroleum treated as the kings pat
rimony or the property of the nation
II any contention did exist it was set at
rest in Mexico by the mining law of 1884
Before this date neither coal nor pc
troleum had been developed in Mexico at
all; the law of 1884 simply cleared up
matter in question. From that time
therefore, rights to coal and oil were
acquired by Americans under this law
and the laws to the same effect Of 1892
and 1910. BY the expenditure of vast
amounts of money, American individuals
and companies have given value to
these lands by relying upon the laws of
Mexico. Their tenure was never ques
toned; in fact, it was repeatedly ratified
by acts of Mexican courts and the Mex
lean government has since 1912 contin-
uously recognized rights so acquired un.
der Mexican law by collecting taxes upon
the lands and upon the product.
THE Mexican governments contention
that mere change in constitutional
precept appearing in a constitution
which itself prohibits any retroactive
legislation, which precept against retro
active effect was called to the attention
OF the ambassador of the United States,
with an assurance that no law or con
stitutional provision would take effect
retroactively in advance of the presenta-
ton Of his credentials in February, 1910
may operate to divest foreigners of
rights legally acquired, has been we'll
answered by protests of your depart
ment In harmony with such protests,
the members of this association have
taken united stand and refused to be
trapped by any Of the exigencies Of Mex
lean government DEGREES demanding the
performance of acts, the effect Of which
would be to acquiesce in the contiscation
and render the American protests nuga
tory.
Because we have refused to admit the
loss of our properties, the Mexican gov
eminent has seen fit to refuse us permits
sion to drill on our lands until we per-
form such acts of acquiescence. The
government has gone to the extent of
sending armed forces to stop the drilling
of well on a property of a member of
this association, which member had, in
harmony with your protests, refused to
acquiesce in confiscation of his property
In other cases, the Mexican government
has granted rights TO third parties under
mining claims provided for in DEGREES
against which the American government
has protested, and wells have been and
are being drilled on such lands by such
third parties
I'm reply to Secretary Salinas state
ment we beg leave to call your attention
to the fact that these acts, as is well
known to you, are in open violation of
the laws of Mexico under which our in
vestment of time, money and energy
was made and violate the accepted law
of nations"