The San Francisco call., 1908-04-01

of the states and the government had
no right to make charge for them
DEFENDED BY SCOTT
This contention was combated by
Scott, who said there was nothing pro-
found or unusual in the proposition.
Stripped OF it's legal phraseology, the
proposition of Bonynge. he said, was to
allow any individual or corporation To
use any land OF the United States to
the exclusion of any other Individual or
corporation without money and without
price. THE present conduct of the for
estry service" said Scott, in requiring
& reasonable fee to be charged when a
corporation carries its works over land
owned by the United States is only such
conduct as every private citizen exer-
cises in the management of his own
business"
Bonynge's amendment was defeated.
Mondel was by this time ready with
another attack on the forestry bureau.
he charged that in its administration
citizens were IN many instances denied
right Of way across forest reserves.
The proposition Is, said he,
whether the states Of Maryland, Vir-
Einia, West Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina and even the great state
Of New York are to become federal
provinces or remain a part Of the SOW
ereign states, and whether this forestry
bureau shall persist in denying the citi-
zens the rights granted by congress.
An amendment 20 meet this criticism
was lost.
Mondell next directed his atten-
ton 20 the committee on agriculture
snd said IL had been in a reckless state
OF mind when il allowed to the forestry
bureau 100000 more than had been
estimated for. He charged that, being
a lump sum. It could be used for any
purpose, Including advertising"
The statement was controverted by
Scott, who read a letter from Sec
retary Wilson saying the 100000 was
20 cover unforeseen items. Scott
defended his committee. declaring il
had prepared a very conservative bill.
Charging that the forestry bureau
had, contrary to IT'S claim, expended
annually over a million dollars more
than IT received. Mondel said that
bureau goes on year after year Jug
Cling figures" He moved to strike out
the paragraph appropriating $500.00e
FOR the proper and economical admin
sstration, protection and development
OF the national forests"
ATTACKS COMMITTEE
Hepburn, speaking with much
fervor criticised what he said were the
the forest service he claimed that the
principal objection had come from the
committee on public lands. OF which
Mondell was the head. Twelve of
its members were from the states in
voived- Every citizen. he contended,
had absolutely as much interest In
these government movements for the
preservation of our forests as those
gentlemen have" He sarcastically re-
marked that members of the public
lands committee had seen to it that
every acre Of land in their states was
improved sIt is time" he asserted
they should be content with what they
have. and not insist on grasping every
thing that still remains"
Hepburn refused TO yield to
Mondell for a question and, continuing,
said the United States should follow
the example of European nations in
conserving its forests. But, he said.
the members from the public land
states ARE now putting up some most
preposterous claims" He denied that
the states owned the waters Of the non
navigable streams of the forests. The
water, he contended. was nothing more
than land with water flowing through
st.
SMITH INcENsED
Incensed at the statements regarding
the public lands committee, Smith
California, sought to interrupt Hep
burn, who. however, refused to yield.
You don't dare to-" Smith re-
marked.
This nettIed Hepburn.
oh" said he, Il don't know that
there is any power the gentleman pos
sesses to make me fear any question
he may ask"
Cushman of washington made Wig
orous reply to Hepburn. He held up
a map showing that the states involved
were all located in the far west and
said:
4 think the gentleman would not
look with such complacence on the
forest service if that service would go
into his state and take IL or Is coun-
ties out Of the middle Of Iowa and
build federal fence around it" He
was not he said. crying out against
a reasonable extension of the forest
service. but charged that it has been
carried far beyond the point where it
ought to go.
Mondell's motion was lost, whereupon
Smith apologized for his remark to
Hepburn, which he said was a slip of
the tongue. Taking one more shot at
the forest service he declared that this
is not a government by legislation but
it is government by strangulation."
The reading of the bill was resumed.
An amendment by Humphreys of Wis
consin TO increase by sI63. 400 the ap-
preparation for soil Investigations pro-
voked a long debate. After many five
minute speeches had been made for
and against the proposition IL was car
ried. leo to S.
f. The bill was laid aside less than half
completed and the house at sos D. m.
adjourned