Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-19
FIERCE FIGHT FIZZLES
PRESIDENTS PUBLIC LAND
POLICY AT DENVER MEETING.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DENVER, Col. June 19.-In spite of
convention packed against the administra-
ton. it looks today that the expected nerce
attack on President Roosevelts entire pub
lie lands policy will not materialize In the
big public lands meeting now In session
here The question when the convention
organized was whether the president
whole policy with regard to public lands
and forest reservations should be sustained
or overturned. But after some diplomatic
conciliatory work on the part Of Secretary
Garfield and Clifford Pinchot, the two mem
bers of President Roosevelts tennis cabinet
and who are the Presidents personal rep
resentatives on the ground, the convention
assumed at least on the surface, more
peaceable aspect. Then there were other
reasons which induced both sides to take
steps to head off the talked-of merciless at
tack on the administration which seemed
unavoidab BILE when the delegates assembled.
And not the least of these Is politics.
Some of the ring leaders in working up
the convention who were not greatly con-
cerned so far as the attack on the admin
istration itself was concerned took another
view of the situation when some or the
big row at this time might act as a boom
erang on their own political fortunes. so
last night word was passed around that
the resolutions should be pointed, but con-
sentative Garfield and Pinchot. who have
been main figures in the convention, sprung
coup by volunteering to hear and take
up at once the San Luis water-rights con-
troversy. on which the delegates had re-
solved most vigorously to condemn the
administration. This removed at once one
of the main points of controversy.
Many Rabid in Their Speeches.
However. many of the delegates, prin-
cipally from Wyoming and Colorado. who
form the greater part of the convention,
are rabid in their talk on the outside and
it is yet question whether they can wholly
be held in check. Secretary Garfield s
speech in which he said he welcomed con-
structve criticism, but not destructive at
tacks, and that he intended to go into every
western state and find things out for him
self and that the honest man Wouio pc
encouraged and the CRATER brought swiftly
to the bar Of justice, had ring OF 1alr
play about it which brought cheers from
the most antagonistic delegations
One thing which seems bound to play an
important part in the discussions IS the
question of states rights, which was IN
jected by Senator Henry M. Teller IN MS
speech before the convention yesterday
The only belligerent delegation when Is
showing hight 1of tne dulhlu.sti alum 10 -
delegation from Oklahoma, led by the
Rougi, Rider. Gov. Frank Frantz. who rode
up San Juan Hill with President Roose-
Welt and who is here anxious to hght lot
anything the administration wants II IS
expected that great part OF the oiscussioll
will turn on the free use or the grazing
lands, for which the government is now
charging a nominal fee.
The resolutions will undoubtedly attack
this practice and declare in unmistakap!e
TERMS for the use of these lands without
any charge. Two of the United States
senators present are staying out of the &C
tive discussions. They are Reed Smoot OF
Utah and Simon Guggenheim OF SoioIauo'
Tba latter is not even delegate. and to-
day sat in a box among other invited