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Show Declares Government Is Hindering Oil Industry American Mining Congress Journal Uses Wyoming Wyo-ming Situation as Illustration for Argument for Revised Action. Chief Justice Marshall was credited with saying that there was but one thing; in this world which the Lord did not know in advance, and that was, -"what the verdict of a Jury was going to be," says the Mining Congress Journal. It Is equally difficult to comprehend the logic of a federal government with a dire need for Increasing oil production produc-tion which is continually on the lookout to prevent the development of oil fields, 'wherever there Is any hope that such development de-velopment may prove successful. During the early summer months a great scarcity of gasoline was expected. Automobile users were limited in their consumption. An appeal was -made to oil producers to hurry up production ; that oil stocks of the country were lower than ever before in recent history, and that the demand for war purposes was increasing. A general gen-eral appeal was made to increase production pro-duction and to decrease consumption. The Wyoming oil field is a comparatively new development. Much "wlldcatting" (sinking (sink-ing of wells in undeveloped regions) was in progress. No single well is a sufficient recompense for the risks involved of sinking sink-ing wells in undeveloped territory. But one well in fifty produces oil. The wildcatter wild-catter must have more than the first well discovered in order to recompense him for the enormous expense of drilling the fifty wells. Back in the Roosevelt administration an effort was begun to change the plan under which the western public lands had 1 been theretofore administered. This was j known as the conservation movement. It I anticipated a retention in the federal gov- j eminent of the power resources of the j west. A preliminary step was the with- , drawal from location and entry of all 1 lands suspected of containing oil or coal. During all of these years 'since congress has had under consideration the enactment enact-ment of a leasing bill under which these lands could be operated under control of the federal government. Bill Long Delayed. In January, 1918. the house committee on public lands was still considering this bill. Searching for information In this , behalf, the Hon. Scott Ferris, chairman of the house public lands committee, sub- : mltted to Secretary of the Interior Lane a question relating to the Wyoming oil lands. The question and answer follow: ! Question "Has the executive branch of the government in contemplation the making of any additional withdrawals due to the recent oil locations In Wyoming, and, if so, what areas and to what ex- i tent?" Answer "The executive branch of the : government is not recommending addi- 1 tional withdrawals on account of the re- cent oil activities in Wyoming." This assurance from the administra- ! tion led to large expenditures in various ! districts of Wyoming in prospecting for oil. Thousands of wells were sunk at. different points. At Lusk, Wyo., there was a favorable result. At a depth of 1 3700 feet, a 1500-barrel oil well was brought In, and immediately after this 1 discovery, and only a short time before ; the recent election, all of the oil lands which could be suspected of containing oil in the neighborhood of Lusk, Wyo., were withdrawn from entry. It must be remembered that under the present law pertaining to mining development devel-opment the discovery Is essential to complete com-plete the location. This one well, hav- ! ing made a discovery of oil, has com- j pleted Its location and will be entitled to ! receive a patent for that particular loca- ! tion. In surrounding territory hundreds of thousands of dollars have bfen spent in sinking wells, none of which has as yet made that discovery which entitles it to a patent under the law. These other wildcatters may continue development, develop-ment, and, if an oil discovery is made, may perhaps, under the law, secure patent pat-ent for the single location. It Is conceded by all who know conditions that this reward re-ward is entirely inadequate to the risk taken and the monev expended in the discovery of oil. Unless adjacent territory terri-tory can be secured in which wells may be driven in territory where there is a real promise of discovery, capital cannot be induced to wildcat in undeveloped territory. ter-ritory. Obstacles Are Alleged. When an oil operator comes to Washington Wash-ington and asks for Justice, he is immediately im-mediately branded as a Standard Oil hireling and no serious attention ia given to his appeal for justice. If an oil leasing bill were to be hoped for from this or any future congress, there might be a time when development might be anticipated, but if the present condition is to continue, oil prospecting must cease. For many years the west protested against the enactment of a leasing bill and the creation of a differ- i ent policy, as applied to its power re- j sources, from that which has been ap- ! plied to the east. A fter many years of prot est the west surrendered under protest, pro-test, but still surrendered. Since that time the wrangle has been between various vari-ous departments of tiie federal government, govern-ment, while congress has meekly stood by and wailed for instructions from the administration. ad-ministration. It is natural to expect that the department of the interior, cnarged with the administration of the public lands of the west, migl.t be expected ;n be consulted by congress when legislation of this characier is under consideration-Rut consideration-Rut it has been a puzzle to know why tiie navy department and the department of justice should he permitted to dictate to congress what legislation of this char- I acter shall be enartpd. For more than a year now past thuse departments have been wrangling with each othrr. with the interior department "present but not voting," in an effort to come to some conclusion as to what action they wuKl permit on the part of congress. It is true that the constitution of the United ! States lias placed the responsibility for legislation upon the two houses of con-gross, con-gross, subject to the veto power of the president. We are prepared to suspend 1 criticism of a congress which, in war ' time, has, for war purposes, followed the dictation of the president, but we cannot ' reconcile our ideas of constitutional government gov-ernment in such a way as to justify the ! arrogance of the navy department and j the department of justice assuming to I direct congress, nor can we reconcile our estimate of the dignity of congress and the responsibility of congress with its abject surrender to these accidents of governmental control, who probably never would have been elected by the people for the responsibilities which they have assumed. |