The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-12-20
THE WHITE MOUNTAIN RESERVE


The Importance of bringing about
favorable consideration of the pro-
posed White mountain forest reserve
at the present session of congress is
being urged by Washington represen-
tatives of New England newspapers.
The report of the secretary of agrl'
culture has emphasized anew the ne
cessity of taking immediate steps to-
ward preserving what remains OF the
White mountain forests. The Wash
ington correspondent of the Spring
field Republican, whose power of OBJ
servation and insight into national at
fairs are both deep and accurate,
calls this question "the most vital
stake which New England has at issue
at the present session. and says:
The plain fact cannot be ignored
that unless the republican congress
men of New England make a far
more vigorous stand than they have
ever done before, the present con-
gress will adjourn without action ON
this matter A new bill again joining
together the propositions for reserve
in the White mountains and a reserve
in the Appalachians has been care
fully prepared with a view to better
meeting some objections raised in the
past. 1t will carry an appropriation
of $5,00O,OOO, instead of 100000 as
heretofore. But perhaps the most i'm
portant change is the greater insist
ence upon the need of the forest re-
serves in order to preserve navigation
upon the streams which rise in them.
The new emphasis upon this point is
intended to win over those who have
had doubts as to the constitutionality
of the federal government buying
forest land as such, although having
no doubt as to the constitutionality of
the governments doing whatever
may be necessary to maintain its nv
ers and streams in navigable condi-
ton. Some objection has been made
to the policy of linking together the
fate of the White mountain and Appa-
lachian schemes Such objection is
based upon total ignorance of the
practical political situation. Without
the votes of the south it would be i'm
possible to get much more than a cor
poral s guard to vote for the White
mountain reserve alone. An analysis
of the vote in the house of representa-
tives last year on the question of ap-
propriating money for survey of
the proposed reserves shows that,
while the south voted solidly in favor
of it, there were many northern re-
publicans who voted against it. The
absolute necessity of linking the two
reserves together in one bill is thus
apparent
That the fate of the measure rests
solely with Speaker Cannon is indis-
putable. Such a bill has already been
passed three times by the senate but
on each occasion it has failed in the
house purely because of the speaker s
hostility. If he can help it, Speaker
Cannon will not allow the bill to be
reported from the committee on agri-
culture during the present session, and
the ruthless devastation which will
continue if he has his way means IL
reparable damage to New England.
In this connection the Republican cor
respondent calls attention to what the
% republican representatives of the
New England states can do if they
will work together in support of def
mite demand and urges them to come
out solidly in favor of this bill even if
they have to join with the democrats
in overriding the republican machine.
He speaks truly when he says:
If some members of the New Eng
land delegation gave less evidence of
being willing to "stand without
hitching," Speaker Cannon would
propably respect them fully as much
in his Utmost soul and be more ready
to listen to their demands AS prac-
tical question of parliamentary pro-
cedure it would be doubtful policy for
the New England republicans to join
with the democrats in refusing con
sideration of other bills in order to
reach the forest reserve bill. The sup
porters of every other bill so side
tracked would become opposed to the
bill for the reserves. But New Eng
land republican representatives ought
and can find way to accomplish the
end; they ought to be individually
and collectively held responsible by
New England if they do not.
Congressman Haskins, we fear, has
taken little more than an academic in
terest in the White mountain question
heretofore, and it is possible that his
deep friendship for Speaker Cannon
may have tempered his insistence on
the passage ,of this bill. However
this may be, it is time now that he act
Immediately in support of the meas
ure. And if his reputation for "stand-
ing without hitching" is harmed in
the eyes of Speaker Cannon, the dam
age will be more than offset by the
stamp of approval which his constitu-
ents will place upon his action in kick
ing over the dashboard.