The Washington herald., 1908-05-06
HITS FOREST SERVICE
Hepburn Opposes Growth of
Reservation Policy.
THINKS PROPHETS ARE WRONG
Idaho Senator Declares Natural Re-
sources OF Country Are Not in ns
Great Danger rs They Are Rep
sented to BELLS state Half
Forest Reserve, He Declares.

| The Forest Service as the Car of the
Northwest. and particularly Of Idaho.
was the picture which Senator Hepburn.
Of that State. presented yesterday TO the
gaze of the Senate. In a speech which.
together with Interruptions from other
Senators. occupied nearly as much time
as did Senator Bulkeiey's Brownsville
speech on Monday.
Annually Mr.. Hepburn protests against
the wholesale reservation Of the territory
OF his State by the forestry policy OF the
government Yesterday he declared that
practically one-half Of that Common
wealth had been set aside as forest re-
serves. and he pictured the methods used
on the reserves as high-handed in the ex-
treme. He opposed the provision In the
pending agricultural appropriation bill
which allows a large sum for telephone
and telegraph wires on the reserves. road
building, and other measures. which, Mr.
Hepburn said, would simply extend the
power of the chief forester and his
rangers, whom he. IN effect, declared to
be the oppressors Of the people.
Takes Issue with Experts.
At the outset OF his remarks the Sen
ator from Idaho took issue with the ex-
perts OF the Bureau OF Forestry on the
proposition that a large area of this coun-
try would within fifteen years become
deforested, and in time arid. That was
prophecy, he said. which transcribed the
powers Of any prophet he had ever heard
Of, including those OF the Old Testament.
And he referred 70 the fact that Senator
Smoot, Of Utah, is to make a speech in
defense Of the Forest Service and its
work. declaring that the Utah Senator
was better fitted to discuss prophecy than
he himself That Mr.. Smoot took this
as a reference to his testimony ct the
time when his right 10 a seat in the Sen
ate was In question. TO the effect that as
a Mormon apostle he had received reveIa-
tons. was intimated by the way in which
AR Smoot colored.
Clouds of War Appear,
At several points in Mr.. Heyburn's dis
course Mr.. Smoot and Mr.. Warren inter
rupted him. and at times the result was
a brief but heated exchange Of opinions.
Mr Hepburn at one point read from an
affidavit regarding certain transactions Of
the Forestry Service. and Mr. smoot
somewhat excitedly interrupted TO say
that every word that the Senator from
Idaho was uttering was false, and that
he would undertake 10 prove il If given
an opportunity The rather sleepy at
tention Of their fell0w-Senators was i'm
mediately Tiveted upon the two and Sen
3toT Lodge, Of Massachusetts, who occu-
pied a portion OF the neutral ground be-
tween their respective territories. quietly
moved his chair a few points to the north 1
east, out OF the line Of possible hostilities
7f a nonverbal nature.
Mr.. Hepburn, however. remained quiet I
while the Senator from Utah was calling 4
names, and when ne had subsided Mr.. /
Hepburn replied that he was not giving 4
the information on his own responsibility. /
out merely reading an affidavit
Forest Rangers Live High.
The Senator from Idaho presented a
lumber OF letters and other data intended /
o show what an arbitrary class the rang
RS of the Northwestern forest reserves
orm- They live at summer hotels az
expense, he said, and dlsport
themselves in steam launches upon the
axes in Idaho. Persons who secured
IN sections afterward made
oTest reserves, he declared, are inter
cred with. and cannot get final patents
o their lands because OF the obstructive
Methods Of the Forest Service.
He predicted that If the lavish expendI-
ure OF the service Is not curtailed the
Of the forestry force OF the
ountry would IN time equal the expense
4 keeping up the army and the navy.