Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-31
P|NCHOT CHARGED
WITH BAD FAITH
Scandal Promised by California
Delegation Which Makes
Allegations.
SAY BOOKS WERE "DocToRED'
When Chief Forester Made Trips.
House Members say He Entered
False Items In Accounts.

Washington March 3o.--charses Of q
serious nature against clifford Plnchot,
chief OF forestry bureau We're made IN
the house today by Messrs Smith (Cal.)
and Mondcll (Wyo.) during considera-
ton of the agricultural appropriation
bill. Mr.. Smith accused him Of entering
into secret understanding with the
city of Los Angeles with the view to
securing to the city valuable water
rights in the Owens River valley as
against the interests of private parties
having prior claims. Mr.. Mondell de
nounced him for. as he charged ille-
Fally paying the expenses of forest off
Gals in attending conventions in the
the west in which the government had
no part and also of spending govern
ment money to boost his bureau in the
newspapers Mr.. Pnchot was defend
ed by Mr.. Pollard tNeb). and Mr.. Scott
tKan).
CHARGE AGAINST PTNCHOT
Mr.. Smith CCal) denounced the for
estry service for attempting TO acquire
the Owens River valley in California.
IF" he said. 4 should state to the
house the ultimate purpose. the house
would be shocked. In many ways" he
Sd1u, the service is uOlnS q gfeIlt
good. ibut Ii Is working some outrages
upon certain interests IN the western
part of the country
He was referring. he said. Ia the
manipulation of the water rights I'M
der the laws of California. He openly
charged that Mr.. Pinchot. the chief
forester was trying 10 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, q single element OF
forestry in the proposition. and Il
would be n sin to give the water
service the great privilege it sought.
Pressed by Mr.. Weeks (ATass.) to ex-
plain more in detail his serious
charges against Mr.. Pinchot, Mr.
Smith said that the party he referred
10 as desiilng to obtain the water
monopoly was the city of Los Angeles
He insisted that the city did not desire
the water; at had not claimed tho
water: III had not asserted any inten-
tlon of using the water for municipal
purposes" Tho city already. he said,
had a perfect system and simply de-
sired Ito sweep I'm all the water there
and carry 1t out OF the valley go miles.
through 20 miles of mountain tunnels,
for the irrigation of land adjacent to
Los Angeles"
IN PINCHOTS BEHALF.
While the debate was going on, Mr.,
Pollard tNeh) went TO the telephone
and had u talk with In. Pinchot. Wher
he came back into the chamber. he de-
cclared that Mr.. Pnchot had said tina
the entire California delegation. ''ir
GLIDING MIR. Smith," had gone to tn,
department and requested and almos
demanded that this reserve be created
for the purpose of furnishing a water
supply to Los Angeles and that the
city pfffrplNy flpnpnnanf m This
supply.
Now he charged, Mr.. Smith
comes here and tries to show that the
department is trying to create u mo-
nopoly." TIE policy of the department,
Mr. Pollard declared was to prevent
monopolies rather than to create them.
Mr.. Smith denied that MIR. Pinchot's
statement was true. He asked the
house to call ON his colleagues TO bear
him out.
II never did, said Mr. Kahn.
Il didn't" said Mr. Rowland.
Nor did ]" remarked Mr.. NeedhaIn.
Nor H. added Mr.. Engelbright.
Mr. Smith said he would hunt up the
rest az the delegation and get them
also to rise and deny Mr.. Pinchots
statement
on objection by Mr.. Mondell the
clause authorizing the secretary pr
agriculture to advise and assist owners
Vi hlllilli 10 lIlt
national forests in the proper care of
the same" was stricken out.
NO TREES IN FORESTS.
That vast tracts of numbered land
have been included in forest reserves
was the charge Of Mr.. Smith (Aria.)
who criticises such action. And this
was admitted by Mr.. Scott (Kan.), but
he said the forestry bureau had given
prompt attention 10 petitions I'm pro-
tests and had released over 1900, 900
acres of lands so included.
The explanation was not satisfactory
10 Mr.. Mondell, who charged that 1t had
been the rule for the forestry bureau
10 secure rather extraordinary opin-
ions" from the attorney general He
insisted that If the president had au-
thority to create a reserve he had au-
thnrity TO divide one.
Mr.. Smith lCal) again got the fooI
and. epeaking of the recommendation
of the president that water rights
should be taxed, denounced him for it,
Tho federal government he de-
clared ought to be ashamed Of Itself
# II undertakes TO eNtort tax by way
of right of way over a piece OF lano
that is not worth one dollar an acre"
SOME STRICKEN OUT.
on points of order tho following pro-
visions were stricken out!
Authorizing the secretary of agrl-