Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-02
Remedial Legisl. .on Must Be Passed
at This Session.
ACTION
NECESSARY
QUICK
Great Natural Resource Should Be
Preserved to the Public.
WILL NOT RESIGN
OFFICE
Forestry Policy VIII Continue Along
Roosevelt Lines-Favors COnser-
walton Commission Outlined
by President Taft.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-Unequivocally
asserting that a monopoly now is in pro-
cess of formation whose object is to get
possession Of the water power sites of the
country, Clifford Pinchot, chief of the
bureau Of forestry, who returned today
from an extended inspection in the west,
declared that remedial legislation must be
enacted at the coming session of congress
IL this great natural resource is to be pre-
served to the people.
The problem of how best to prevent the
nations water power sites from being
gobbled up by such combinations, Mr..
Pinchot predicted, will be one of the big
gest issues before the next session of con-
gress. The alleged trust is now In the
formative stage, Mr. Pinchot declared, and
quick action on the part of congress is
necessary to throttle it.
Another big program which will con-
front congress will be the disposition of
the vast areas Of coal lands in the west
principally in Alaska. 1t is important
that congress should take prompt action
on this important matter Mr.. Pinchot
said, for the protection of the country's
fuel supply and also to prevent monopoly
! in that product.
FRvOrs Conservation Commission.
nay hJubb lidl may nave existed as TO
whether Mr.. Pinchot would continue to
advocate the policies for which he has
fought so hard, was set at rest by him to-
| day. AS result Of his western tour he is
fully as determined as ever to continue his
policies regarding the conservation of the
country's natural resources and the great
national forest reserves. He asserted that
President Taft is thoroughly imbued with
| . he,
that the people are now more completely
aroused over the matter than ever. Presi-
dent Taft, Mr.. Pinchot said has expressed
himself In favor Of conservation COM
mission, and added that he (PinchoO was
also in accord with that suggestion.
A score or more newspaper men inter-
viewed Mr.. Pinchot al his office today. He
has just returned from a two months tour
of inspection of the national forest re-
serves, with which condition he was i'm
mensely pleased. He said he had had "a
corklng good time"
VIII Not Resign.
One issue only did Mr.. Pinchot decline
| to discuss. That related to the so-called
Ballinger-Pinchot controversy over the con
servation question. That he has no in
tention of relinquishing his position as
chief forester as the result of that incl
dent was reiterated when he declared en-
phatically, Il am not going to resign"
After declaring that there is a water
power trust certainly in the process of for
nation" Mr.. Pinchot added
I'm my judgment the tendency to con-
solldation which is now running through
all industrial enterprises, will necessarily
in the end lead to the consolidation OF
the water power interests exactly as il
has to consolidation of steel and oil inter
ests. There has got to be legislation or
this water power business. President Taft
has indicated his intention of asking con-
gress for legislation governing, as 1 under.
stand it, the disposal of water power sites
on the public domain, so that the whole
water power question will naturally be
taken up before congress. The question is
are we going to give these power sites il
perpetuity? That is a question with which
congress will have to deal"
lis it possible to head off this so-called
trust?" Mr.. Pinchot was asked.
Government Can Control.
"The government cannot probably pre-
vent formation of such a monopoly" hC
replied, but it can control it. 1 regard
this matter as one of the most important
questions with which congress will have tC
deal"
When national forests were mentioned
Mr.. Pinchots countenance beamed will
delight He declared that he had never
seen the forests in a more satisfactory
condition. The personnel Of the service Il
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