The Washington herald., 1908-05-08

tllc d4lefuoun NdS gwen u tlib Cuilol4cA
alton OF the forestry features Of the agri
cultural appropriation bill.
Senator Depew. of New York, ad
dressed the Senate in support Of the worA
Of Clifford Pinchot, chief forester. He
was followed by Senator Teller. Of Colo
rado. who criticised the service. The
latter declared that the forests should be
looked after by State authorities, anc
not by the Federal. The leasing of graz
ing privileges and water rights, Mr.. Tel
Ter contended, was the first step in the
line OF Federal usurpation that would
destroy the rights of the States.
This country is in more danger to-
day" said be, than it was at the close
of the civil war
He declared the forest rangers in the
Western States were dictatorial end arbi-
trary. and even tried to run the conven-
tions called to consider public land and
grazing matters.
TN Idaho they actually did go In and
dominate the convention called TO con-
slider public land and mining matters.
said Mr. Teller.
I beg to correct the Senator" inter
posed Senator Hepburn. of Idaho. They
tried, but failed" Uaughter)
Fight Not Yet Over.
This moved Mr.. Teller TO explain how a
lot of determined men at a similar con-
vention in Denver last year met the forest
rangers at the door and turned them
back, telling them that they had no place
in the meeting.
The forestry section Of the bill prom
ises 10 excite as much debate as 1t did
last year, when several days Of the ses-
sion We're consumed. There IS a deter
mination, apparently. among the Western
Senator's, led by Senators Teller, Clark
of Wyoming, Fulton Of Oregon, and Hey
burn. 10 knock out the large appTOpTia-
tion provided for the extension Of the
work Of Forester PinChOt.
Mr.. Depew's speech was a cOmpTehen-
sive presentation Of the cause of forestry
reservation as a measure for the preserva-
ti0n of the natural resources of the coun-
try. He declared that if the govern
ment had not set aside the millions of
acres now under reserve, the lumber
kings Of the country, who own or control
all the remainder OF the forests, would
own the portions that are in the reserves
and the country would be in their power
Senator Clark, of Wyoming, reminded
the Senator from New York that Fred
erick WeyerhauseT, the lumber king. IS
an advocate of forest reserves.
Yes" replied Mr. DepeW; he owns
practically all that is not reserved, and
he knows that il that were not reserved
he would have TO own that. too. and he
does not want to-"
"And," interpolated Senator Flint. Of
California, addressing Mr. Clark, IF we
did not have the reserves he'd have an
absolute monopoly Of all the lumber in
the country"
Mr. Clark hastened to reply that he
was not opposing, but favoring, forest
reserves.
Opposes Lump Appropriations.
Senator Teller entered a vigorous pro-
test against the appropriation Of money
in lump sums for the Agricultural De-
paTtment bureaus. He declared that too
much money was set aside for all the
departments without the purposes for
which it was 10 be used being clearly
defined. Hall a million dollars. he said
had been appropriated last year for the
Department Of Justice without its pur-
poses being defined. and OF that sum
$1,000 had been paid out as salary to one
man, while many others received S7.600
and got lavish travelling expenses as well.
he referred 10 zone man in the North
west" who while acting as special agent
for the government, had been paid $50
90 in the space Of a few months. Asked
by Senator Foraker 10 name this indi-
yidual. Mr.. Teller said he was Francis J.
Heney, special prosecutor for the govern
ment in the Oregon land fraud cases.
Wherever he goes added Mr. Teller,
"he takes charge Of the government bust
ness, 10 the exclusion Of the government
officers charged with the enforcement Of.
the law"
Mr.. Foraker asked IL the entire $500 900
TO which Mr.. Teller referred had been
expended in counsel fees. Mr.. Teller
thought that it had.
I'm one Case?'' asked Mr. Foraker.
mo" was the reply. Il judge it was
used for three or four cases"
Growth of the bureau.
Mr. Teller pointed out that whereas
the pending bill gave the Forest Service
10000 or more, that service had begun
as a bureau a few years ago, with an an
nual appropriation Of only S15.000. He de-
clared that literary men and others whose
opinions had weight were employed in
the bureau simply for the purpose Of Sc
curing the benefit Of this weight OF opin-
ion in its effect upon the public. The
Senator from Colorado surprised some Of
MS colleagues by declaring that If the
trade and commerce Of the country re-
quired all the timber in the country. the
HFr7fa -Frr Nr -
future. He referred TO Mr.. Pinchot. the
chief forester, as that distinguished tree
man, Mr.. Pinchot," and described him |
as the car of the forests, whose man
dates were inimiCal to the welfare Of thel
people.
Senator Money. Of Mississippi inter- /
rupted Mr., Teller while the latter was
discussing the immense force employed
on the forest reserves, to point out that
the area Of the reserves was 80, 900 square |
miles, OF that of an empire, and de- |
clared that the number OF men em- |
pIoyed TO care for this immense terri |
tory was not too great for the purpose. |
COnstitution Out of Date.
Senator Culberson interrupted while the
Senator was discussing the con-
stituuonal aspects Of the question to say
that he was interested in the Senator's
presentation OF the constitutional side,
and was about to ask question when
Mr.. Teller remarked;
well, I apologize for mentioning the
it's a little out Of the order
nowadays 10 refer to the Constitution at
all
Mr.. Teller gave a number Of fllustra-
tions to demonstrate that the forest ran
gers and their superiOrs ran things with a
high hand He owned a mine in Colorado,
he said, and he was sent a blank asking
a number Of questions as to the value Of
his ore, the amount of money he had in
vested In the workings, and other things
which he considered impertinent He
sent the blank back, with the statement
fhnf n WAS 1nnne Of the fornsfar,r h,.rt |