Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1919-02-23
Waterpower Bill Near Action
Neither Faction Satisfied With Compromise Offered, Says
Lofenzo w. Martinq'

cludlng tho supply OF gasoline. will
fall OFF from year 20 year at nm
alarming rate. And this decrease
viii take place AT a time when oil
is becoming more ard more Of n
necessity, and when the demand for
gasoline. In the operation Of auto.
mobiles, OF tractors on the farms
or gaB engines and Of ships on the
ocean, is daily becoming greater
Until 1901 adequate legislation
dealing with the subject OF water
power was lacking. and ns n result
the very best water power sites fell
into the hands OF private individuals
and concerns, In consequence OF this
q large number OF power sites on
the public domain passed into pri-
yato ownership. Testimony before
the congressional committees has
shown that 90 per cent Of the water
Dwer in public lands states In owned
by 2s companies and that six Of these
companies control nearly go per cent
Of the developed power. II In CON
tended by the conservationists that
the government should rethla CON
troll Of the developers of this natural
resource, furnishing power as they
do to the public utilities and TO the
public generally, In order 10 pre-
vent their making extortionatc
charges, and also that the govern
ment should receive from them an
adequate return for the privileges
granted them In the development of
this water power.
Leasing Coal Lands.
As tho agreement Of the confsrees
on the coh provisions Of tho min
eral leasing bin now stands, tho sale
or lease OF coal lands IN tracts not
exceeding $3.50 acres In permitted.
IL In provided that no ono shall he
allowed to own or lease coal lands
In tho public domains In sxoees OF
that acreage. Another provision In
tho bill In that while q man or COM
papy has tho right under the law
10 enter these coal lands, the secre-
tary Of the interior In authorised to
offer tho coal lands for sale at not
less than 80 an acre whore the
lands are situated more than 10
miles from any completed railroad.
and at not less than $40 Rntacre
where tho lands are within IS miles
OF . conpieted railroad. Bidding on
these lands In TO be competitive and
the secretary Of the interior II to
have the right to reject any and all
bids that he may deem TO be unfair,
mis- authorization for tho sale OF
any OF the coal or other mineral
lands In the point of conservatlonist
opposition. They continue their" Ing
sistence that tho bill should pro-
vide only for a leasing system. Con
servationists point out In connection
with the matter that the enactment
OF the bill will repeal the existing Ia W
providing for tho leasing OF tho
Alaskan coal lands, which law, they
say, on account of war conditions
and other reasons. has not had a
tryout. on tho OTHER hand,
Representative Ferris has made pub
lie IA letter that he received nom the
secretary OF the Interior In which
Mr.. Lane states that the coal lands
leasing system In Alaska has not
proved satisfactory.
OIL provisions OF the bill. M
agreed 10 In the conference. also are
strongly opposed by some of the
coueervationtsts. "a The pr8visions. In
4 general way. are for tho granting
of "prospectirg permits" These per-
n,its will Gsve the applicants who
receive them the exclusive right for
= period not exceeding two yedrs to
prospect for oil and gas upon q
tract not to exoeed $40 acres where
such deposits. Belonging to tho gov
efnment, arc located within ten
Miles Of any producing we'll, and
upon not to excced $50 acres
where the deposits are situated more
than ten miles from producing
we'll. II the prospector locates oil
~. - ~ a..
ter of the land for which his pros
other three-quarters OF tho land will
be leased by the secretary OF the In
terror on u royalty basis. not TO be
lees than one-eighth OF the prodhc-
ton.
Chance for uAc Wildcntter.
~ a prospector In inclined to do
little ''wiidcatting' for instance. on
tho land pretty we'll removed from
known oil wells he may prospect
over 1890 acres with the chance OF
becoming the po~sessor OF $40 acres
aBd n lessee OF tho remainder. on
the other hand n he deslros TO pros
pect near known oil-producing prop-
critics, he can obtain $40 acres on
which 10 do his drilling with tho
chance OF owning 1s0 acres and
holdiug lease on the remainder,
providing. OF course. that he strikes
oil,
Those who oppose the contentious
OF the conservationists say that up-
less tho prospector is given the priv
ilese OF owning some ot tho land on
which he drills for oil. aa we'll as
leasing more land. there will be no
prospecting, They point out the fact
expensive business and thousands %
dollars frequently are lost because
OF bringing In dry wells,
One Of the factors In the long fight
over the oil lands leasing bill lay in