Replying to your message of yesterday I respectfully make known to
you that, having addressed (yourselves) to the Citizen President of
the Republic in the same words in which you addressed (yourselves)
to this Department, the said high official replied to you in a
message of today as follows:63
“Your message of yesterday, in keeping (consonancia) with all the things (hechos) that have been taking place
in connection with the discussion regarding the law
regulatory of Constitutional Article 27 in the branch of
petroleum and its Regulations, goes to confirm my view (criterio) that it is not the
petroleum industry’s own peculiar [Page 676] (propio)
interest but causes very foreign (thereto) which lie back of
(motivan) the attitude of
rebellion of some companies (empresas) with regard to compliance with the law. The
precepts of the law in question, issued by the legislative
power of the nation within the sovereignty which our
constitutional principles give to it, have been regulated
and applied by this Executive power within the ample and
liberal criterion allowed by our institutions, making clear
in definite form the rights and obligations which they (said
precepts) contain for the good of the industry, and I regret
(lamentando) that all the
facilities granted have not been reciprocated on the part of
the companies (empresas) and
individuals engaged in petroleum exploitation.
“I consider the law good, and also that its precepts, under
the most rigorous juridical interpretation, neither injure
nor destroy rights legitimately acquired, not only leaving
amply guaranteed the interests of the industry but also
assuring its greatest development to the advantage of those
engaged in it; wherefore with regret (pena) I make known to you that I find no
justification for the prorogation which you request.
“It surprises me that the Compañia Mexicana Holandesa ‘La
Corona’, the Compañia Mexicana de Petroleo ‘El Aguila’, the
Richmond Petroleum Company and the Compañia Transcontinental
de Petroleo, which are Mexican corporations and which have
submitted all their rights to the law (by) applying for
their confirmatory concessions, should appear as signers of
a petition for extension of the time for submitting, as does
also the attitude of the Compañia Mexicana Productora y
Refinadora de Petroleo ‘La Atlántica’ and the Compañia
Petrolera Los Chijoles, which are Mexican corporations which
have submitted (themselves) to all the laws bv virtue of
their articles of incorporation. Respectfully, General P.
Elias Calles.”
I repeat to you my assurances of esteem.