Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-06

lands committee Of the House of Represen-
tatives almost without mercy for it's de
liberate delay in considering the repeal of
the timber and stone act, under which he
said outrageous stealing has been going on
and is now going on.
AS he expressed it himself he lifted
the sheet from the corpse just little"
so that the members of the forest con-
gress might know what a grave danger
confronted the nation. Forest preserva-
tion, he said, meant escape from enor-
nous floods and the destruction of every
kind of industry. and was of equal Inn
portance with protection by the army and
the navy.
This is the closing day of the congress.
The subject of the morning session. near
spoke. was THE Importance of Public
Forest Lands to Mining" The last meet
ing began at o'clock this afternoon. the
topic for consideration being, "A National
and State Forest Policy"
Mr.. Maxwelrs address was without doubt
the most startling and incisive of any
made during the congress. He took issue
with President Roosevelt as to a portion
of the latter's address of yesterday after
noon at the National Theater to the effect
that II the western forest lands are to be
saved the people of the west must save
them. Mr.. Maxwell said the people of the
west would never save them; they are
making too much money out Of them, he
said under the present law. which they are
continually unfolding with strenuous
efforts.
President Must Act.
.'It is Theodore Roosevelt and the people
Of the east who will save the western forest
lands declared Mr.. Maxwell.
He began with a story of the recent aw-
full floods in the states of the Mississippi
valley. saying that they are getting worse
every year, and this because the forests
have been removed from the eastern noun
tains. The mountain slopes shed water in
the spring just like plane set at an an
gle OF forty-fve degrees. according to his
statement, and therefore the floods are ex-
perienced, while in the summer there is not
enough water to operate the mills and
other industries.
Everybody recognizes the need in this
connection except the lower house of Con-
gress. he declared. amid great applause.
Referring to the timber and stone act,
Mr.. Maxwell hOtly scored Congress for q
refusal to consider the measure. He laid
the blame on the House public lands COM
mittee, which he said is controlled by west
ern men.
Last year with $4,000 acres In the Chip
pewa Indian reservation, Minnesota the
stumpage alone was sold. and the govern
ntent realized $500 an acre, still owning
the land.
AT this rate the government has lost $685.
$4,000 under its disposal of 100000 acres
through the timber and stone act, at $3.50
an acre, since President ROosevelt's mes
sage in December, 1902, recommending its
repeal. But the majestic timber of the far
northwest, where the timber stealing is now
conferred. is worth double that of Minnesota,
and in these two years the government has
lost over S0,OO0.OOO, or s. 100000 month.
1.-THE blame attaches to western men on
the public lands committee of the House,
who have deliberately prevented action, to
allow the stealing to continue The guilty
members Of this committee should be held