The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-06-20

DENVER, June ia sensation was
sprung in the Public Lands Convention
today BY charges made By both the ad-
ministration and the anti administra-
tion forces that the convention was be-
ing packed. The anti-administratio
charged that the number Of men who
were not properly accredited delegates
had been given seats. An order was
made, to issue new cards Of admission
and to see that only genuine delegates
received them. When the committee on
credentials reported, it was found that
4T6 delegates were credited to Colorado,
las to Wyoming and the balance Of the
states, scarcely 100. Colorado's repre-
sentation was later cut to S96. it be-
ing stated that the first figures were in
error. 1t developed that all Of Colo
RADIOS delegates, whether present or not,
had been counted while in the case Of
the other states, only those present
were allowed to vote. A report was sent
back to the committee, with instruc.
tions to bring in its report according to
the call OF the convention. The com
mittee viii be heard the first thing in
the morning and ii it obeys its instruc.
tions It viii give vote for every per-
son whose credentials have been sent
to the convention, whether they are
present or not. This afternoon, Repre-
sentative Mondel was the principal
speaker had been assigned on the
progam the subject Of The Government
as Landlord He traced the various
steps taken Of late leading in the li-
reetion OF government landlordism and
characterized President Roosevelt's pro-
position, To provide for the government
control of the public pasture lands Of
the west on the same general principles
which now apply in the government con-
troll Of the forest reserves as the most
tremendous and sweeping grant Of arbi-
trary power and authorityever pro-
posed to be granted in time Of peace to
an executive officer Of the government =
In concluding, Congressman Mondell
said;
'The necessity for any radical depart
ure from the past policy Of gradually
putting public lands into the hands Of
individuals is strongly denied by many
of those who have had the widest ex-
perience and who insist that any
changes that may occur in our laws
affecting government lands should be in
the direction Of making possible the
acquisition Of somewhat larger areas Of
land, fit only, or principally for graz
ing, as we have done by the section
homestead and the three quarter sec
tion isolated tract law in Western
Nebraska.
"To encourage private ownership OF
land has been our policy from the be-
ginning. Our people are not inclined to
look with much greater favor on gov
ernment than on private landloriism.
The western states were admitted into
the Union with the understanding that
the public lands were, by passing into
private ownership, to become taxable.
If the system Of permanent govern
ment ownership and control is to be
established, we must fundamentally re-
adjust our fiscal policy so as to support
our commonwealth from other sources
than the taxation Of lands. We must
change our views relative TO land own.
ership and depend for our growth in
population and wealth not upon indi-
vidual land ownership, but on system
Of tenantry. at the will Of the agent