Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-27
GRANTS HEARING ON
APPALACHIAN BILL
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AeRlcuL-
TURE TO DISCUSS 1T
Measure Has Repeatedly Passed Sem
ate, but Has Never Reached Vot=
ing Stage in AssembIy--ln-
terest Widespread

January 30 and to continue, if desired,
on the S1st.
The Importance of this hearing can
hardly be overestimated. The Appa
lachian bill has repeatedly passed the
senate, and will, undoubtedly, again
pass that body at this session. The
failure of the bill has uniformly oe-
Cured in the house; and this, not from
an adverse vote in that body, for 4
safe majority of the house is believed
to have been favorable to it, but from
the failure of the bill to reach vote.
Late in the first session of the fifty
ninth congress the Appalachian bill
was granted hearing before the COM
mittee on agriculture of the house OF
representatives. A strong presentation
was made, and the bill was unanl-
mously recommended by the committee
for passage. 1t was not reached III tne
first session and the brevity of the sec
ond session prevented its reaching a
vote unless the extraordinary powers
of the house should be invoked" Such
action the committee on rules dld not
see fit to take.
With an early and favorable report,
however, from the committee on agrlcul-
ture, it seems probable that the bill can
be brought to a vote in the house in the
present long session. And again, as
heretofore, there is good ground to nope
that If reached, 1t will pass. IN the
circumstances, an early and faVofaple
report by the committee becomes o.
transcendent Importance.
The friends of the measure are SPAR
ing no effort to secure a strong and
representative delegation to attend the
hearing and present to the committee
every aspect of the case for the Dill.
Numerous governors of states, north
and south, together with the foremost
citizens in public and private life, are
nd IN furnish
infallible proofs of the constitutional
ity, wisdom and necessity of the legls-
lation. There will undoubtedly be rep
resentatives from all eastern and south
ern states, and the indications are that
the attendance will run into the nun
dreds.
Press FaVors 1t
Experience has shown that the press
of the country is practically unit Tor
this legislation. 1t can now render
notable service by widely announcing
this hearing and urging the importance
of such representation as shall not
fail to be heard and needed.
The interest of New England in the
Appalachian bill has been keen from
the start. Everything that could De
done to secure the passage of the Dill
In the last congress was done. The re-
suit was that when the matter came
to a vote last spring, near the close OF
the session, not a single New England
congressman voted against the PROPOSE
ton for a survey. Within a month
after the adjournment of congress d
meeting had been called in Boston to
lay plans for furthering the campaign.
Definite plans were made for co-opera-
ton between the Massachusetts, For
estry association, the Society for the
Protection of New Hampshire Forests,
| the Appalachian Mountain club ana the
American Forestry association; Dur-
| ing the past seasons Investigations
these organizations have helped in
every way possible.
AS soon as the committee on agri-
culture announced that hearing Would
be given on the Both, meetings were i'm
mediately arranged in Boston to plan
a campaign. The several organizations
are working with might and main, and
with good prospects of success, to Sc
cure the attendance of all the New
England governors and of the leading
business men. On January 10 notable
conference was held by representatives
of the great textile mills of New Eng
land for the purpose of taking some
effective action with regard to the bill
now in congress. Former Governor
Rollins of New Hampshire presided,
and the meeting was attended by the
ablest business men among the textile
manufacturers. The result was the APP
pointment of committees to work'in the
most effective way to secure proper
representation of business men at the
conference on the Both.
Never before has such profound and
widespread interest IN this measure
existed in the south. From the or
ganization of the Appalachian Ma
tional Forest association, early in tho
winter, not a day has passed but that
many southern papers have given large
attention to the need of preserving the
forests of the southern mountains. No
subject of general national interest is
today receiving more intelligent con-
sideration In the south than that of the
proposed national forest.
All Phases Discussed
All phases of the national forest ques-
tion are being discussed, and one re-
suit will be to secure the attendance of
the governors of various southern states
and of the leading business men of the
south at the hearing in Washington OF,
the SOth AS a result of this meeting
it is expected that the ableSt men of
the south will be In attendance and
that the number coming will reach into
the hundreds.
During the fight in the last congress
New England and the south stood side
by side, but now help is coming from
other sources. First among the new
sources of aid is the American Civic
association, which has called an execu-
tive meeting in Washington on the 30th
to aid in connection with the hearing,
A large representation of the members
of the Civic association will be here.
The magnificent and effective fight
made by this organization to save
Niagara from total devastation by
water power companies Will be remem~
bered. This association expects dur
ing the coming year to make the APP
palachian-White mountain national
forest bill one of its main objects of
attention. But other help is coming as
well The American Institute of Elec-
trical Engineers will be represented.
The members of the institute know well
the damage resulting to water power
from clearing away the forests on the
mountain slopes.
Within the last year it has been
found how terrible is the effect of
clearing the forests from the high
watershed of the Monongahela river.
The city of Pittsburg and other cities
on the river have suffered disastrous
floods, sustaining losses of almost $10,-
900, 900. On the recommendation of the
Pittsburg chamber of commerce the
secretary of agriculture has included
in his recommendation of the area re-
ceiving attention, the Monongahela
watershed The chamber of commerce
will be we'll represented at the hearing.
In addition, it is likely that other cities
afflicted by this river will have dele
gates at the hearing.
The American Association for the
A = - Sol lao