The Glenwood post., 1908-04-04
CONTEST ON
FOREST ITEMS
AMENDMENTS OF WESTERN MEN,
sERs VOTED DOWN BY
EASTERN MEN.
SERVICE is ATTACKED
CRITICIZED BY CALIFORNIA, COLO
RADIO, WYOMING AND WASH
INGToN CoNGREssMEN.

! Washington.-Western members re-
lewed their fight in the House Tues
lay against the forestry service items
n the agricultural appropriation bill
charging the administrative scope and
authority of forest officials. but with
put the success which marked Mon
lays efforts.
| Friends of the service from Eastern
md Southern states were on hand and
soted down practically all propositions
advanced by the Western opponents OF
he service.
Messrs. Mondell of Wyoming and
Smith of California continued their at
.acks on the bureau and in this they
we're supported by Messrs. Bonynge of
Colorado and Cushman faWashington.
These embraced charges that the
bureau had created timber monopolies
favor of large corporations, illegally
assumed jurisdiction over water rights
belonging to the Western states, and
luggled with figures in order to OBJ
ain large appropriations from Con
sress.
Mr.. Bonynge offered an amendment
providing that no part of the money
appropriated for the forest service
should be used in the efforts of the de
/ )artment to secure control of waters
of natural streams in reserves. Mr..
| Bonynge contended that the natural
waters in reserves should remain I'M
Ter control of the states in which they
ire situated.
MIR. Bonynge read from number of
authorities to show that the govern
nent did not own the waters of non
lavigable streams. On the other hand.
ne declared those waters We're the
property of the states, and the govern
nent had no right to make charge
'or them
This contention was combatted by
Mr. Scott, who said there was nothing
profound or unusual in the proposi-
ion" Stripped of its legal phraseol
)gy. the proposition of Mr.. Bonynge, he
said, was to allow any individual or
corporation to use any land of the
United States to the exclusion of any
other individual or corporation. with
out money and without price.
THE present conduct of the for
estry service" said Mr.. Scott, "in re-
luiring reasonable fee to be charged
when corporation carries its works
over land owned by the United States
S only such conduct as every private
,itiZen exercises in the management of
lis own business"
Mr. BonyngeS amendment was de-
'eated
Mr. Mondcll was by this time ready
With another attack on the forestry bu-
eau. He charged that in its admins
ration citizens We're in many instances
ienied right of way across forest re
serves
THE proposition is" said he.
whether the states of Maryland. Vir
ginia, West Virginia, North Carolina.
South Carolina and even the great
state of New York, are to become fed
sral provinces or remain part of the
sovereign states, and whether this for
sstry bureau shall persist in denying
he citizens the rights granted by Con
gress."
He offered an amendment providing
hat no part of the appropriation
should be used in such manner as to
deprive citizens of rights of way for
irrigation canals across reserves. He
called attention to the fact that the
forestry bureau was forcing a large
number of citizens to accept revocable
permits for rights of way, when they
we're entitled under the law to pcr-
manent easements.
| Mr. Mondell also offered amend.
nents cutting off 100000 from the gen
eral forestry appropriation ana $500.
lG0 for permanent improvements and
general administration, but these, az
we'll as other amendments offered, were
not adopted.
Mr. Mondell said the committee on
agriculture had been in a reckless state
), mind when it allowed to the forestry
bureau 100000 more than had been
estimated for. He charged that, being
4 lump sum, 1t would be used for any
purpose, "including advertising"
Mr.. Hepburn, with much fervor criti-
.ised what he said We're "the chirp-
ngs" against economy. AS to the for
est service, he charged that the prin-
:ipal opposition had come from the
committee on public lands, of which
Mr.. Mondell was the head. Twelve OF
is members, he said. were from the
public land states. but he questioned
heir right to control the public domain
II the United States.
Mr. CushmGn (Washington) made Il
rigorous reply to Mr.. Hepburn. He held
Up map showing that the states in
rolved were all located in the far West
md said:
81 think the gentleman would lot
'ook with much complaisance on the
'orest service if that service would go
pto his state and take twelve or fif-
.een counties out of the middle of IGwss
ind build a federal fence around it,