Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-01
House Passes That Part Of Agricu|'
tura| Bill --Submarine |nquiry---Dr.
Hill Nominated by the President
As Ambassador to Germany.
IN THE HOUSE.

IN THE HOUSE.
Washington, March 31-After hav-
ing undergone many changes, the para
graph of the agricultural appropria-
ton bill relating to the bureau of for
estry, was finally passed 100 TO IS by
the House of Representatives today.
Messrs. Mondell of Wyoming and
Smith of California, continued their at
tacks on the bureau and in this they
We're supported by Messrs. Bonynge Of
Colorado, and Cushman of Washing
ton 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. The work of the bureau was
vigorously defended by Messrs. Hep
burn of Iowa, and Scott of Kansas.
Considerable time was devoted to
discussing a proposition by Mr.. Hum
phreys of Mississippi, to increase the
appropriation for the investigation Of
the soils, which was carried.
little less than one-half of the bill
had been completed when the House
at SOC P. NJ, adjourned.
Washington, March 31.-Considera
ton of the agricultural appropriation
bill was resumed in the House today
but not until Mr.. Williams, Miss, conf
PEELED the House to divide on the ques-
ton whether the bill should be taken
up.
Mondell, Wyo, offered an amend
ment providing that no part of the
appropriation shall be used to negOti-
ate for the sale of timber from any
national forest at a price above that
| would constitute a fair price for such
timber of like character in the locality
on land of private ownership. He
charged that small mill men had been
| driven out of the business by the
| forestry bureau, which he said creates
| a monopoly in establishing vast re-
serves, and then, he said, sit uses the
| monopoly to raise the price Of the lum-
| ber'
The Mondell amendment was with
drawn.
Bonynge, Colo, offered an amend
ment making the appropriation nom
| applicable to the enforcement of any
regulation, (Which prohibits or at
tempts to prohibit the citizens of the
states wherein the national forests are
located from appropriating for benefi-
cial uses the waters of the national
streams thereon according to the laws
of said states and the statutes Of the
United States
| Mondell again attacked the forestry
bureau, charging that in it's admins
tration citizens were denied in many
instances right of way across forest
reserves.
| 1.-THE question is" said he, whether
the states of Maryland, Virginia, west
Virginia, North Carolina. South Carolina
and even the great state of New York
are to become federal provinces or re-
main q part of the sovereign states, and
whether this forestry bureau shall persis,
IN denying to citizens the rights granted
by Congress"
An amendment to meet this criticism
was lost.
Mondell then declared that the commit
tee on agriculture had been in reck'
less state of mind" when it allowed tr
the forestry bureau 100000 more thar
had been estimated for. He charged that
being a lump sum it could be used fol
any purpose, 'including advertising"
Scott, in reply. read a letter from Sec
Wilson. saying the 100000 was to cove
unforeseen items. Scott said his com
mittee had prepared very conservative
bill. The Bonynge amendment was de
feated
Charging that the forestry bureau ha'
expended annually over s1,00O0OO NOR
than 1t received, Mondell said that tn
bureau goes on year after year, Jug
Cling figures He moved to strike GU
the paragraph appropriating 100000 10
the proper and economical adm'nistra
ton, protection and development OF TIL
national forests"
Hepburn Iowa, criticized what he sal
were ''the chirpings against economy
He charged that the principal opposition
to the forest reserve had come from tn
committee on public lands of which Mon
dell was the head. Twelve of its mem
bers, he said, were from the public Ian
states He sarcastically remarked tina
members of the public lands conmitte
had seen to it that every acre of land i
their states was approved. ut is time,
he asserted, that they should be con
tent with what they have and not insis
on grasping everything that still re
mains"
Hepburn bluntly refused to yield t
Mondell for a question and, continuing
said the United States should follow tn
example of European nations in conserv
ing its forests. But, he said, the mem
= bers from the public lands states Ear
now putting up some most preposterou
claims" He denied that the states own
ed the waters of the non-navigabl
streams of the forests. The water, h
commended. was nothing more than Ian
with water flowing through it.
Incensed at the statements regardin
Continual on Page Ten