Evening star., 1909-08-21
CONGRESS- IS TO Be APPR|SED
SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT AS TO
LAND WITHDRAWALS.
Secretary Ballinger Not to Attend
Seattle Conservation Congress.
Pinchot to Make Address.

Pursuant TO the policy and direction Of
Secretary Ballinger. Acting Secretary of
tie Interior Pierce has withdrawn for
Temporary power sites 1859 acres Of land
along White river, in the state Of Utah.
1t was stated at the Department of the
;; Interior today that this withdrawal OF
troversial subjects but that it occurred
in the regular order of business and In
pursuance of the conservation policy OF
the Department of the Interior.
This particular area OF land has been
under investigation by the geological sur
sey, in pursuance OF the well defined
policy of this administration. as well as
the former regime. together with other
lands. the object being to set aside from
Uublic entry lands that contain pro-
spective water power sites.
The geological survey reported it's find
ings to the department and in due course
Of regular procedure the order Of with
drawal was made. Withdrawals of other
parcels OF lands by similar process will
follow from time to time.
However. Acting Secretary Pierce's Off
cial announcement of the withdrawal con-
tanned one significant statement which is
OF interest III connection with the criti-
cism of the present administration Of the
Department of the Interior and its con-
servation policy. The announcement
stated that the withdrawal of these lands
was with the view of reporting to Con-
gress these Withdrawals in order that
proper legislation may be enacted by
Congress to preserve power sites to the
government and prevent monopolies.
This is taken to forecast the certainty
of vigorous representation to Congress
upon the subject of land Withdrawals at
retary Rallinger and the President no one
is qualified to discuss the character and
scope of the recommendations. 1t is as
suned that they will be sent to the Con-
gress as administration measures, by the
President and the Secretary of the In
terror after cabinet consultation.
Ballinger Not on List.
SEATTLE. Wash, August 21.-That r.
A. B;llinger. Secretary of the Interior,
may not be present at the national con-
servatOn congress, which convenes here
next Thursday, became known yesterday
when the official program for the con-
gress was given out with the name of
Secretary Balfinger omitted.
Officers of the Washington Conservation
Association, who are engineering the con-
gress. admit that there is little probability
! of Secretary Ballinger appearing.
Immediately before leaving Seattle for
Spokane, where ne spoke before the ma
tional irrigation congress, Secretary Bal
lingcr notified the officers of the conserva-
ton association that he would be unable
to return TO Seattle in time to participate
in the congress. Tie officers of the aSso-
citation kept this quiet. hoping that he
would change his mind. Since then no
word has been received from Mr.. Bal
linger, but his friends have said that they
felt sure lie would bC on hand
Having heard nothing from Secretary
Ballinger. the executive board yesterday
drew up the program for the campaign,
emitting his name
Chief Forester Clifford Pinchot is down
on the program for the meeting of the
second day, his subject being Principles
of Conservation.
Besides MIR. Pinchot other prominent
speakers will appear. among them being
4. B. Farquhar Of Pennsylvania; Mrs. j.
Ellen Foster of Washington. d. c.:
Henry II. Barker of Rhode Island; John
Barrett, director of the bureau of Ameri-
can republics; ex-Gov. George C. Pardee
of California; James A. Emery, chairman
of the executive committee Of the Ma
tional Manufacturers Association. and
President John F. Craig, Cornell Univer-
Sity