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Show uu LEASING BILL MAY YET BE DEFEATED Wasington. Jan 7. Secretary Pun iels has asked Chairman Tillman of the senate naval committee to lefeat the Ferris oil-leasing toll, reported yee terday from the senate public 'ands committee, with a provision to g ve claimants leases covering their filings made on oil land BUbseouetly withdrawn with-drawn from public settlement and m-Cluded m-Cluded within naval oil reserves Sec-retary Sec-retary Daniels iii his request for the defeat or the bill, says that the oil In the lands in question should bo in-served in-served for the use of the navy, winch Ik dependent upon Oil for fuel for Mie fleet On account of physical disabil-ilicB, disabil-ilicB, ( 'hairman Tillman, it is eJ I"'1 ted, will turn ovor to Senator Swansou of Virginia, next ranking member of the naval committee, the task of defeating defeat-ing the bill In the senate The western Democratic senators who are supporting the bill, nocnly Senators Phelan, Myers, Walsh and Thomas, have asked President Wilson to intervene and look Into the ueri's of the bin personally, with the- viow( I I to having the opposition of Secretary I Daniels withdrawn. They express ihe fear that If the fight over the legUia-1 legUia-1 1 ion goes to the floor of the senate 1 it may produce a serious party split, ; whieh micht be avoided if the navy 1 department could be induced to accept la compromise which would recognise the rights of the private claimants, which the senators claim could be done without endangering the suoph , of oil likely to be needed by the navy, A showdown in the matter Is expec'.ed ! soon. |