The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-08
OIL men OBJECT
Protest Against Entire Bill
Offered by Hegler.
Say 1t Would Do Great Harm
to the Industry.

more tnan z0u OIL producers, from
dozen different counties of Kansas,
with several others from Oklahoma.
met with the oil and gas committees
of the house and senate in representa-
tive hall Monday night, and told the
members of-the legislature what por-
lions of the proposed Hegler bill for
the regulation of the industry they OBJ
jected to, and why.
Would Harm Oil Industry.
The only portions they object to are
the first and last clauses and every
thing between them. The oil men de-
clared that there was not anything that
the bill would do for the benefit OF the
public, and very little that 1t would not
do to the harm of the oil industry;
At the preliminary meeting Monday
afternoon. in the Chamber of Com
merce, the oil men appointed COM
mittee of five men, who were charged
with the job of interviewing the gov
ernor during the afternoon, ana OF
presenting the case OF the OH lnou s,
to the two committees at night. The
committee consisted of John Jones. OF
Chanute; W. w .Tarbell, of lola; Mark
d. Mitchell. of Independence; W. II:
Sproul, of Sedan, and D. P. Fleegar, OF
Marion.
Can Take Your Choice.
sYou will have to take your choice,
of letting the streams and wells be
polluted, and letting the oil Industry
go on, or of having clean water sup
plies. and no oil industry in the state,
Mitchell told the committee members
at the hearing. He declared that SO
far as the Butler county fields are
concerned, the scheme of plugging
off" salt water and other Impurities
which it outlined in the bills and with
the enforcement of which the super
visor is charged, is utterly impractica-
~ Il t7nr
he said, but in the other fields, the
power which the supervisor would
have under the bill would make 1t
possible for him to absolutely run the
producers out of business with the
restrictions which he might impose
and enforce.
Expense Would Be Heavy.
It is not the inspection fees and
the licensing fees to which the OIL
men are Directing, Mitchell said, but
the other exl enses to which they
might be forced under the supervision
of the state oil man.
One of the main provisions OF the
bill is the appointment by the COVER
nor, at a salary of $4,000 a year. of
supervisor who would be charged with
enforcing the provisions of the act,
and also given the power to pfomuI-
gate and enforce new regulations,
such as he secs fit.
[
acterized as ''autocratic'' which has
reused the fight in the oil men. more
than anything else.
Authorship In Doubt.
The original authorship of the bill
remains in doubt. The oil men say
that Governor Allen told them that he
did not draw it up, tho he is in favor
of many of its provisions. Senator
Hegier, who is to introduce the bill in
the senate. says that it was drawn up
in conference with the, oil regulation
officials of the. state. the oil men
themselves, and others.
In announcing the meeting. Senator
Hegler said that it was to be in the
nature of a peace conference" The
oil men proved unalterably opposed to
the entire bill. however, The meas
ure corresponds closely with the plan
mapped out in that portion of the
governors inaugural message which
referred to the oil industry of the
state.
No Permanent Organization.
There was no permanent organiza-
ton of the oil men formed at the
meeting Monday. The committee of
five appointed was for the purpose of
fighting the Hegler bill.
There has been formed county or
ganization of oil men in Allen county,
come the nucleus of statewide or
ganization. -.==- - p
No decision on the bill was taken
by the oil and gas committee Monday
night. The hearing was simply for
the purpose of getting the views of
the oil men on the measure, and
served its purpose most admirably.