The state herald., 1908-10-02
AT DENVER MEETING
CLAIM 1T DRIVES OUT PROSPEc.
TORS, RoBs sTocKMEN AND
cRlPPLEs IRRIGATION.


place Saturday afternoon when the
forestry system was called "a cheap
graft" ian unmitlgated curse to Colo
rado," its employees incompetent graft
ers," in the presence of A. f. Potter,
chief of the grazing department of the
Forestry Bureau and personal repre-
sentative of Clifford Pinchot, chief of
the Forestry Service.
The three great industries of the
state, stockraising, mining and irriga-
tion all Joined in the common attack
upon the forestry system. To add TO
the strength of the statements, many
of the most prominent men in the
state were speakers. Sen. Henry NJ,
Teller, Judge ID. c. Beaman, counsel
for the Colorado Fuel and Iron Com
pany; Charles ID. Hayt, the well known
mining attorney of this city; Col. Ed
y. Brown, George Bancroft, mining
engineer; Mr.. Myers OF Breckenridge,
State Senator L. NJ. Ammons of Little
ton, all took an active part in de-
nouncing the system.
Mr.. Potter answered each question
that was brought in a more or less sat
isfactory manner.
The meeting, which was held before
the forestry committee of the Cham
Der of Commerce, presided over by its
chairman, w. A. Hover, and Gen. Irv-
| ing Hale, adjourned at Z O'Clock after
| four hours of discussion with nothing
definite done. II was at first suggested
| by w. G. NJ. Stone. president of the
State Forestry Association. that the
meeting adjourn until Mr.. Pinchot
could come to Denver himself. Sena-
tor Ammons. in sizzling speech, pro-
tested against this, which he said was
an effort to dodge the issue by the
Chamber Of Commerce, and by taking
no action indorse It's resolution com.
intending the Forestry Service In
eHn,' resoTuridn. 10 wmch' sena'tf snIi
Ter also referred rather bitterly. mis-.
represented the mining and agricul.
tnral interests OF the state.
The specific charges made by those
protesting against the forestry sys.
TEN were: That Il was driving pros
pectors out OF the state: that IL was
holding up threefourth of the mining
claims on which patents were asked.
though lodging responsibility through
the land office when an explanation
was asked; that II Is driving snw.mill
owners out OF business; that II was
forcing stockmen to pay taxes for
benefits which they never receive;
that II was Gripping the irrigation IN.
terests of the state by claiming owner.
ship of all water on the reserves: in
short, that II is stopping development,
OF the greatest interests Of the state
and making investment of capital a
dangerous venture, while the common.
cial bodies OF Denver are spending
thousands of dollars In advertising re-
sources which cannot be developed he
cause OF the Forestry Service. Many
so'called absurd provisions. such as At.
tempting to regulate the state game
laws, enforcing the elghthour day.
and making mar an outlaw" ms far
rs certain rights are concerned. when
he violates provision OF the forestry
system. were roasted.
In regard to LrospcctorR. Mr.. Hayt
said that for them the Forest Service
lines are dead lines They refuse 10
prospect on government forest ro.
serve. said Mr.. Hayt. because they do
not know and cannot find out the
rules OF the bureau and would not
know but that they would be changed
from day TO day. II they did.
Before the forest reserves were set
aside. he instanccd. there were fifty
prospectors In the Summltyillo sec.
tlon, according TO information received
by Mr., Iinyt. but now there In not n
one, III the forestry laws had been
IN effect In the o'rly days" concluded
Mr iiay'. "thc state of Colorado would
never have been developed"
Specific objections wore urged by
MIR Hnyt. which Mr.. Potter said ho
would take up with Chief Forester
Pipchot.
MIR. Potter answered that the raise
In prices marked In the 1908 book had
not been put In effect and said that
the homestead test had been whether
the land was good for homesteadlng
or not,
Judge bcaman cited the Increase In
grazing fees and the refusal to grant |
patents 10 homcHiendcrs ON land used |
for grazing purposes.
Senator Teller emphasized the fac, |
that the problem Of water In the great.
est In the state, lie declared that 70. !
serves should not DO created where
mining or agriculture Ia possible. "'rho
best thing that could happen for
Colorado" he said. would be the ro.
peal OF the forest reserve laws. The
foreH, lava" he added, "aro such that /
they should not be- created IN n free
country or amors free people