The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-05-18
THE MORNING JOURNAL. COURIER MONDAY MAY 49, 1908

tnins forestry reserve bin have voted
against the proposition 10 have the ma
tional government acquire any land for
forestry purposes, The subcommittee is
expected to report this vote TO the full
committee today and there Is no doubt
but that the full committee will report
against the bin in question TO the
house in It's turn. The decision OF the
committee is particularly exasperatlng
In view Of the fact that the senate sat
urday passed the forestry bill in spite
Of the expected opposition Of Senator
Teller and others, who objected on the
ground that there was no authority
under the constitution for the United
states government acquiring lands for
forest reserves under such conditions
This means that the forestry bin Is
killed for this session at least, notwlth-
standing the universal demand upon
the part Of the press, the public and
above ALL Forester Clifford Plnchot
whose every untlrlng effort Of late has
been concentrated toward that one end
II has all peen without avail.
II Is a little too much for congress to
think that the public can gulp down
this latest action without word Of
protest There has been too much said
and thought favorable to tho bin to ex-
pect anything like that. But the worst
part OF the whole incident Is the fact
that the defeat Of the bill In the house
Is very largely due TO the attitude and
actions Of Uncle Joe" Cannon. Him we
have to thank for the fact that our for
ests are to be demolished for at least
another year, without anything being
done TO counterfeit the desolation that
must come In the wake He II was that
successfully sidetracked the bill provii-
Ing for national forest preserves, not
giving It's advocates a fair chance to
speak their views when the matter
came UP In the house and then finally
using his influence TO get the bill re-
ferred to committee which was moth
ing II not out OF sympathy with the bin
from the very beginning He It is who
has made II possible for Europe with
its widespread provisions for forest re-
serves to laugh at the United states
for It's lack Of foresight IN this import
ant matter
How the committee, IL not an adverse
one, could possibly have decided upon
such a report, after the food of testl-
mony In favor of the bill during the
hearings earlier IN the year. at which
not a dissenting voice was raised, Il Is
difficult to see. II Is said the sub-com-
mIttee has agreed to report favorably
upon a bill which provides for general
supervision and advice from national
officers to any state forestry officials
desiring the same, and also providing
for a commission Of senators and rep
resentatlves to investigate the subject
of forestry this summer. But this Is
nothing short of a baby trick to trS
and fool the public into believing II i
getting what It wants Such bill vii
not pass and, II It did. It would onS
legitimatize further delay, when thu
delay has been too long by many de
cades already. There Is no need of q
commission to investigate" The people
of the United states has appointed It
self commttee-of- the whole to lnves
tigate and from its conclusions 4
knows what is needed and what i
wants