The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-31
SCANDAL IN
THE BUREAU
!. OF FORESTRY
Serious Charges Made Against
Clifford PinChot, the
Chief Mogul.
ACCUSATIONS MADE BY
SMITH AND M0NDELL
EXCITING TIME IN THE HOUSE
POLLARD DOES LODGE ACT ON
THE TELEPHONE.


Washington, March 90-Charges of a
serious nature against Clifford Pinchot,
chief of the forestry bureau, were made in
the house today by Messrs Smith (Cal.)
and Mondell (Wyo.), during consideration
of the agricultural appropriation bill.
Mir. Smith accused him of entering into
secret understanding with the city of Los
Angeles with the view TO securing TO the
cay valuable water rights I'm the Owens
~<f1Ver valley as against the interests of
vprivate parties having prior claims. MIR.
Niondeh denounced him for. as he
charged, Illegally paying the expenses of
forest officials in attending conventions
in the west in which the government had
no part and also of spending government
money TO boost his bureau in the newspa-
pers- Mr.. Pinehot was defended by Mr..
Pollard CNeb) and Mr.. Scott (Kan).
Open and Specific Charge.
Mr. Smith (CaD denounced the forestry
service for attempting TO acquire the OW
ems River valley in California.
If" he said, Il should state 10 the
house the ultimate purpose. the house
would be shocked. In many ways" he
said. the service is doing a great good,
but it is working some Outrages upon GER
tain interests In the western part Of the
country"
He was referring, he said 20 the man
1pulatlon OF water rights under the laws
of California. He openly charged that
Mr.. Pinch0e the chief forester. was try
ing TO secure the water rights for the
use of certain persons against others
which had made earlier application of the
water. There was not, he insisted, sin
gle element OF forestry in the proposition.
and it would be sin 10 give the forest
service the great privilege it sought
Explained in Detail.
Pressed by Mr. Weeks (Mass) to ex-
plain more in detail ibis serious charges
against Mr. PinchOt Mr. Smith said that
the party he referred TO as desiring to OBJ |
tain the water monopoly was the city of |
dos Angeles. He insisted that the city |
ga not desire the water; it has not
u aimed the water, and il has not asserted !
any intention of using the water for mu-
nicipal purposes" The city already. he |
said. had a perfect system, and simply |
desired TO sweep in all the water there |
and carry ii out of the valley 80 miles, |
through twenty miles of mountain tun-
nels, for the irrigation of land adjacent to |
Los Angeles
Finchot Called Up by Telephone.
While the debate was going on. Mr. |
Pollard (Neb) went to the telephone and |
had talk with Mr. PinchOt When he |
came back into the chamber he declared |
that Mr.. Pinchot had said that the entire |
California delegation, including Mr.. /
Smith" had gone TO the department and |
requested and almost demanded that this /
reserve be created for the purpose of fur
nshing water supply to Los Angeles. " |
and that the city was entirely dependent 1
on. this supply.
= Now" he charged. "NIr. Smith comes
here and tries TO show that the depart-
ment is trying to create a monopoly"
The policy of the department Mr.. Pol
lard declared. was to prevent mOnOpOlies
rather than TO create them.
Agree That Pinchot Lied.
Mr. Smith denied that MIR. Pinchots
statement was true. He asked the house
10 call on his colleague to bear him out,
Il never did said Mr.. Kahn.
I didn't said Mr.. Rowland.
Nor did j, remarked Mr.. Needham.
Nor l." added Mr. Engelbright.
Mr.. Smith said he would hunt up the
Eest of the delegation and get them also
TO rise and deny Mr.. Pinchots state
ment.
On objection By Mr.. MondeII the cjause
the secretary of agriculture
10 advise and assist owners of LANDS
within and adjacent to the national for
ests in the proper care of the same was
- reken out,
What vast tracts of untimbered land have
been included in forest reserves was the
charge of Mr.. Smith (Ariz.). who criti-
ted by Mr.. Scott fKan.), but he said the
forestry bureau had given prompt atten- ,
ton 70 petitions in protests and had re
leased over 100000 acres of lands so in
cluded.
President Denounced.
The explanation was not satisfactory
to Mr. Mondell, who charged that il had ]
been the rule for the forestry bureau TO
secure rather extraordinary opinions" |
from the attorney general He insisted
that II the president had authority 10
create reserve he had authority TO di-
vide one. |
Mr.. Smith CCaD again got the floor '
and, speaking of the recommendation If 7
The president that water rights should he :
taxed, denounced him for it.
The federal government" he declared
1ertakes TO extort a tax by way of right T
way over a piece of land that is NOS 9
Aarth one dollar an acre" 7
Out on Points of Order.
On points of order the following pro- |.
visions were stricken out: [
Authorizing the secretary of agriculture 4
% divide and designate for admiDiStra / q
ion public land reserves for national for d
ssts; making irrevOcable for fifty wears .
permits for power plants within national .
orests; antnorlzing the secretary of ag-
1culture to accept lands for forest mr.
soses or 10 exchange lands for stumDaee c
n the national forests; covering into the I
redsury ana creating special fund for c
he administration. protection and i'm n
,rovement of the forest service of All :
moneys received as contributions towarJ
cooperative work; authorizing advances y
I, a. money 70 c9ieIs OF field parties for i
(Mr. Burleson (TeXas) made a plea for Ii
investigation of the best means of nre- q
'enting the ravages of the mistletoe and
ffered an amendment to that effect -
oing so he brought down upon himself
lot OF good natured gibes. The amend
nent was lost. IS to IS.
Pinchot Again Attacked. 81
More criticism of Mr.. Pinchot was In e.
ulged in when Mr. Monden Offered an 81
mendment providing that the money for d,
| r.
ST officers or agents shall not be nsid 4,
Mess such officials Travelled on business A
irectly connected with the forest serx- ~
e. Mr.. Monden charged that such Of 10
icers and agents last year had attended ~
convention in Denver. with which tbs &
Continued on Page 2. "