The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-04-03
FORESTRY BUREAU
Ar. Smith, OF California, Declared
That No Element OF Forestry In
tered Into QuestiOn-Californi
Denies Assertion Of Pinchot-
Lively Discussion Over Externina-
tion o" the Mistietoe-


der the ive-minute rule was resumed
in the house of representatives today.
The provision relating to the fores-
try service aroused considerable dis
cussion.
Nh Smith, OF California, denounced
the forestry service for attempting
to acquire the Owens River Valley in
California In many ways" he said,
"the service Is doing a great good
but it is working some outrages up
on certain interests in the western
part of the country" He was, he de-
clsred, referring tc the manipulation
Of water rights under the laws or
California He openly charged that
Ar. Pinchot, the chief forester, was
trying to securing these water rights
for the benefit OF certain persons
against others who had made earlier
appropriation of the water. There was
not, he insisted. a single element OF
forestry In the proposition and it
would be a sin to give the forest SER
vice the great privilege it sought Mr.
Smith said that the party he refer
red to as desiring to obtain the water
monopoly was the city of Los Ange-
les. He insisted that the city did not
need the water. The city already, he
said, had a perfect water system. and
simply desired ''to sweep in all the
water there and carry it out OF the
valley two hundred and fifty miles
through twenty miles of mountain
tunnels for the irrigation Of land
adjacent 10 Los Angeles"
After a hurried conversation with
Mr.. Pincaot, over the telephone, Mr
, Pollard, Of Nebraska, declared that
Mr.. Pinchot had said that the en-
! tire California delegation, Including
Mr.. Smith" had gone to the depart
ment "and requested and almost de-
mandeS that this reserve be created
for the purpose of furnishing a water
supply TO Los Angeles" and that tha
city was entirely dependent on this
supply. "Now," he charged, "Mr.
| Smith comes here and tries to show
that the department is trying to
create monopoly" The policy of
the department, MI Pollard declared,
| was to prevent monopolies rather
| than to create them.
Mr. Smith denied that Mr.. PinchOt's
statement was true. He asked the
house to call on his colleagues to
bear him out, and Representatives,
Kahn, Knowland, Needham and En-
glebright at once arose to deny Mr.
| PirchOt's statement.
! Following heated "emarks By Mr..
Gains, of Tennessee, against the luln-
! Der trust. Mr.. Mondell, Of Wyoming,
sarcastically said that that gentleman
for one who had so rarely attended a
| meeting of the committee on public
| lanRs," seemed to be well versed on
the subject
| Shaking his finger at Mr.. Mondell,
| Mr. Gaines declared that he never
| theless closely followed the legisla-
ton the people were demanding. That
vast tracts of untimbered land have
| beer included in forest reserves
was the charge of Mr.. Smith, of Ari-
zona, who criticised such action. This
| was admitted by Mr. Scott, of Kan
sas, but he said the forestry bureau
| had given prompt attention to peti-
J tions in protest and had released ov-
| er twelve million acres of lands SO
included.
! Mr. Monde11 charged that it had
been the rule Of the forestry bureau
to secure rather extraordinary OPT
Mons" from the attorney general. He
! insisted &nat If the president had au-
| thority to create a reserve he had au-
| thority to divide one.
| Mr.. Smith, Of California, again got
| the floor, and speaking Of the recon-
| mendat5on of the president that water
] rights should be taxed, denounced
him for it.
Mr.. BurlesOn, of Texas, made a plea
| for investigation of the best means
| of prevetlng the r.vages Of the mis-
Tletoe and offered a resolution to that
| effect. 'Is this the mistletoe around
| which so many tender memories clus-
ter?" inquired Mr.. Gaines, Of Ten
| nessee
at is," Mr.. Burleston responded.
rs the gentleman married or sim
gle?" Mr.. Douglas, of Ohio. ask
ed
'|You might know" interjecte:l Mr..
Gaines, ''he is married.
'Do you want to abolish the mis-
tletoe leap year?" asked Mr. .Om-
stead, of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Burleson said: 'I understand
there are many tender memories that
Icluster around this pest" It was
| however, he said, not a sentimental
age. We are practical men, he de-
| clared. and I am practical man
| and it Is in the interests of the for
ests of the country that I offer this
amendment.
Insisting that unmarried folks
should have an opportunity to say
something" Mr.. Gaines protested
vemently against the proposition.
| T am not trying to destroy the
mistletoe of Tennessee Br. Burleson
protested.
NO" said Mr.. Gaines, you will
never see the day you will get I'm
Gle Sam to join Texas"
| MIR. Burleson's amendment was lost,
33 to 43.
| More criticism of Mr.. Pinchot was
| INDUCED in when Mr.. Mondell offered
an amendment providing that the
money for transportation Of travel
expenses OF forest officers or agents
shall be paid unless such officials
travelled on business directly connect