Gilpin observer., 1908-04-02
CONTEST ON
FOREST ITEMS.
AMENDMENTS OF WESTERN MEM.
eERs VOTED DOWN BY
EASTERN MEN. H.
SERVICE IS ATTACKED
CRITICIZED BY CALIFORNIA, COLO
RADIO, WYOMING AND WASH
INGToN coNGREssMEM.

ING On CONGRESSMEM
shington.-Western members re.
newed their fight in the House Tues
day against the forestry service items
in the agricultural appropriation bill
enlarging the administrative scope and
authority of forest officials. but with
out the success which marked Mon
days efforts.
Friends of the service from Eastern
and Southern states were on hand and
voted down practically all propositions
advanced by the Western opponents of
the service.
Messrs. Mondell of Wyoming and
Smith of California continued their at
tacks on the bureau, and in this they
were supported by Messrs. Bonynge of
Colorado and Cushman of Washington.
These embraced charges that the
bureau had created timber monopolies
in favor Of large corporations, illegally.
assumed Jurisdiction over water rights
belonging to the Western states, and
juggled with figures in order to OBJ
tain large appropriations from Con
gresS.
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-
partment to secure control of waters
Of natural streams in reserves. Mr..
Bonynge contended that the natural
waters in reserves should remain un-
der control Of the states in which they
are situated.
Mr.. Bonynge read from a number of
authorities to show that the govern
ment did not own the waters Of non
navigable streams. On the other hand.
he declared those waters were the
property of the states, and the govern
ment had no right to make a charge
for them.
This contention was combatted by
Mr.. Scott, who said there was nothing
profound or unusual in the PROPOSE
ton" Stripped of it's legal phraseol
ogy, 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-
quiring a reasonable fee to be charged
Wucu d CdTTltS llS WuEhS
over land owned by the United States
is only such conduct as every private
citizen exercises in the management of
his own business"
Mr.. Bonynge's amendment was de-
feated.
Mr.. Mondell was by this time ready
with another attack on the forestry bu-
reau. He charged that in its admins
tration citizens were in many instances
denied 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
eral provinces or remain part OF the
sovereign states, and whether this for
estry bureau shall persist in denying
the citizens the rights granted by Con-
gress."
He offered an amendment providing
that 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 large
number OF citizens to accept revocable
were entitled under the law to per.
manent easements.
Mr.. Mondell also offered amend.
ments cutting off 100000 from the gen.
eral forestry appropriation and $500,
600 for permanent improvements and
general administration. but these, as
well as other amendments offered, were
not adopted.
Mr.. Mondell said the committee on
agriculture had been in reckless state
o; mind when 1t allowed to the forestry
bureau 100000 more than had been
estimated for. He charged that, being
lump sum, 1t would be used for any
purpose. Including advertising"
Mr.. Hepburn, with much fervor criti-
cised what he said were "the cAirp.
ings" against economy. AS to the for.
est service, he charged that the prin.
cipal opposition had come from the
committee on public lands, Of which
Mr.. Mondell was the head Twelve of
its members, he said, were from the
public land states, but he questioned
their right to control the public domain
of the United States.
Mr.. Cushmcn (Washington) made n
vigorous reply to Mr.. Hepburn. He held
up map showing that the states in
volved were all located in the far West.
and said:
II think the gentleman would not
look with much complaisance on the
forest service II that service would go
into his state and take twelve Or fif-
teen counties out of the middle Of Iowa
and build a federal fence around It."