The Washington times., 1907-05-17
WEST REUSED
TO OPPOSITION
OF ROOSEVELT
Administration Fighting
for Control of Trans
Mississippi Conven-
ton.

on June IS. 10. and %. in Denver, Will
be held convention OF 1000 delegates,
which could be accurately described as
the mississippi anti-Roosevelt
convention.
While the big states east OF the Mis-
sissippi have been worrying about the
premonitory symptoms Of political con-
Germ over 1908. the great region west OF
the Missouri has mad little attention.
That region is now getting ready to
shy its castor into the ring, to demand
some attention, and 10 air its griev-
ances against the administration OF
Theodore Roosevelt.
Down under cover a Titan struggle is
going on for control Of the great gath
ering. which will discuss the Roosevelt
administration OF the public domain,
the chief wealth of the great West.
Guggenheim's Hand.
The National Administration knows
what is going on, and is fighting at
every Point in the effort to secure con-
troll OF the convention. 1t is realized
that If this convention. IN it's discussions
and resolutions. by substantially unani-
nous expression lines up against the
Administration, the Presidents plans
Tor control of the national convention
In 1908. for nomination % Taft. and for
,perDetuation OF Roosevelt policies, WIZ
have received a blow car more severe
Than any yet delivered.
Gov Henry A. Buchtel, OF Colorado.
called the convention, in pursuance of
a resolution adopted by the Colorado
Legislature last winter. That resolution
Was adopted by the same Legislatures
which elected Simon Guggenheirn IN he
United States Senator. Guggenheim Is
a member OF the famous Cuggenbefn7
LlAf HOnfTnIE M Crr,n
II is alleged that the trust. I'm league
with the powerful business interests or
III inter mountain country, is inter-
tSJed IN the movement.
Oppose Forest Policy.
The fight for the far West fs much
like the fight for the Sourh-onI,, very
different The Postoffice Department
constitutes the standing army of veteran
political troops. The Interior Denart-
ment, administering as it does the great
public domain. is the old guard In the
far West
At the bottom of the trouble is the
policy OF active. persistent warfare on
bi" interests that have been charged
WIN getting special advantages out of
tHe public lands. At the Same. time tho
pohcy OF hedging off forest Re serves has
heen carried TO a point widely regarded
as extreme The forest reserve policy
Is not popular in the West. IL is
Tnarged that an empire bigger than
france Is now laid on i'm forest reserves.
senator Carter of Montana charges that
the administration of the forest reserves
ahd OF OJher public lands is driving the
American immigration 70 Canada.
Many Votes Alienated.
In short land fraud prosecutions have
alienated the big interests. and the for
est reserve policy. with the restriction Of
public land entries, has aliensted many
or the plain people Of the West BY
skillful handling Of these elements il is
hoped at the Denver convention to get
the West squarely on record as opposing
the Administration.
Out OF that will develop. easily and
naturally, situation I'm which the dele
cations to the national convention will
be organized against Roosevelt policies
ms is the plan attributed TO the man
ayers of the great Denver convention
The Presidents advisers believe there
- YET ehance OF organizing themselves
into control OF the convention and up
setting all plans. It is known that Sec
rotary Of the Interior Garfield is con-
sider1ng whether he will attend. If he
goes he will be expected to lead the
PRESIDENTS forces, unless. indeed the
President himself shall go. There is IL
timauon that even this is possible.
Pinchot on Hand.
Forester Clifford Pinchot. whom the
Western Senators described last winter
as the "feudal lord of a DOMAIN larger
than France. and more absolute ruler Of
it than the Gar is of Russia" will go,
and will make Trojan efforts to stem the
tide OF opposition to himself and the
President. 1t is expected that Commits
sioner Bellinger of the General Land Of
hce, Will address the gathering, and that
many other representatives Of the Ad-
ministratiOn will take part
II Is already charged in the West that
Federal officials are making themselves
perniciously active in anticipation of this
convention. 1t has been charged that
the great irrigation congress at Boise
city last summer was controlled by the
miniOns' Of Forester Pinchot. The
charge was aired on the floor of Con-
gress last winter. The same methods.
but on a bigger scale, are alleged to be
working to keep the Denver convention
within bounds.