Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-23
GRAZING ANENDMENTKILLED
Senator Burketts Lease Provision Stricken
from Agricultural Bill.
HARD BLOW TO PURE FoOO LAW
Senator Lodge Makes n Point of order
Against section Authorizing
Fixing of Standards
for Foods.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-The senate, at
tonight's session, passed the bill making
appropriations for the support OF the mill
tary academy The bill, carrying n,s4I.SSS
was passed just as It come from the COM
mittee, only ten minutes being consumed In
the consideration Of the measure.
A discussion lasting throughout the en-
tire day, to which was added a futile night
session, failed to secure final action in the
senate on the amendments to the agri-
cultural appropriation bill proposing to
make on increase of 100000 in the item
for the support Of the forest service.
Forceful speeches were made by Senators
Burkett, Depew and Beverage in defense
of the work Of the chief forester, Pinchot,
and opposed to the extension of the forest
service by Senator Hepburn. who went into
the entire subject The amendment by Mr..
Burket providing for lease of grazing lands
was stricken out
II is believed by Chairman Proctor OF
the agricultural committee that action
could be had on the 100000 appropriation
and other committee amendments to the
bill at tonigft's session. After passing the
military academy bill and a few private
bills the agricultural bill was called Up,
Mr.. Proctor asked that the pending amend
mert be considered and on voice vote 1t
was adopted Mr.. Hepburn made a point
OF no quorum however, and after roll
cali which showed only. thirty senators
present the senate at s55 D. m. adjourned
untn II o'clock tomorrow morning.
Burkett Reads Address.
The senate began its session today by
concentrating the memory of George
Washington, whose farewell address was
read by Senator Burkett of Nebraska. Not
a score OF senators we're in their places
when the session opened.
The senate. when 1t convened today, re-
stunned consideration of the agricultural
appropriation bill and Senator Hepburn
discussed = at length the amendments re-
lating to- the forest reserves and the
grazing lands, opposing the leasing Of the
grazing area and condemning the govern
ments policy in the administration OF the
reserves. He said that only about a dozen
fraudulent entries had been found in Idaho
and complained that this percentage of
fraud was entirely too low to justify the
wholesale condemnation of the practices
of all the people of the state.
The necessity for some regulation Of the
grazing lands OF the west was pointed out
by Senator Burkett He described in de-
tail the conditions which had resulted in
Nhdia SNIhOH llbiIl AHt ltnClnb VI the pubic
domain and expressed the belief that the
amendment in the bill providing for the
leasing of the grazing lands under the d.
rection of the forestry bureau was the
best. solution of the dIfficulty in sight at
the present time.
Senator Depew, in defending the system
of forest reserves. pointed out the harm
which. he said, had come to the country
from the previous neglect OF such matters
Mr. Depew regretted that the appropriation
for the forestry bureau had been cut down
1t was a mistake. The forester was justi-
fled In predicting that in a few years the
system would be selfsupporting. In addi-
ton the country would retain its forests.
He pointed out the result in New York
state Of the destruction Of it's forests They
were now gone and difficulty was being
experienced in getting water for canal op-
Grafton.
Senator Proctor moved to restore the
$4,000 that was struck out OF the appro-
priation for the forestry bureau Mr.
Beveridge supported this motion, and in
doing this he detailed the scientific meth
DDS by which the forestry bureau pro-
ceeded.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Beveridge's re-
marks the grazing amendment was stricken
out on point or order raised by Mr. Aid
rich. Mr.. Lodge made a point OF order
which was fatal to the provision authoriz-
ing the secretary Of agriculture to FIX food
standards. This amendment was sup
ported by Mr.. spooner. who insisted that
without the power to fix standards much
Of the effectiveness of the pure food law
was lost.
At o'clock the senate took a recess until
sl5 this evening, with the agricultural bill
still pending.