New-York tribune., 1909-02-05
PURE FOOD BOARD HIT
HOUSE WOULD ABOLISH 1T
Man ReUerse It's Action, Ho1ccUer-
Forest Ser1ice Wins.
TFrom The Tribune Bureau ]


v,,asbt,o+o, Feb The referee board appointed
nv the President 10 review the pure food dccisonS
Of DR. Harvey Wiley chief of the bureau OIL cheIi-
istry of the Department of Agriculture was p0iii
porarily swept out of existence TINS aItstiooi "
the House when an amendment offered oy hepie
sentative ever of South Carolina, eliminatn the
appropriation for the board was adopted py Fo,e
OF 20 TO 42 This vote was announced dIte' III
vision and Representative Scott OF Kansas lihiie
diatelv asked for vote by teilers and moved TO
adjourn so another vote will be taken tc-moTro"
mernlng when the full membership of the House
is present AS there Will be no opportunity TOT 'e
bate before the vote. it is thoushtthat the oecSl'
will be reversed hut Mr. Lever is prepared 10 re-
open the discussion by another amendment accom-
nIishing the same purpose that the question VIII
be decided on its merits. Among those who Favored
the abolition of the board were Representatives
Mann author of the pure food law, ana hepollh
They and a few other Republicans assisted the
Democrats !n passing It. and Mr Lever believes
that if they seriously support TIE amendment on
the floor tomorrow II will be carried
Mr. Lever attacked the board on the ground thai
It was appointed without authority OF law and that
II is the means taken by large manufacturing IN
erests TO evade and # possible nullify, the pure
food He pointed out that there is no clause III
the law providing for any board not under 'he
jurisdiction Of the bureau OF chemistry, ana mat
there IS no authority in any act OF Congress EN-
powering the Secretary of Agriculture or the PreSi
dent to name such a body Mr. Hughes, 'of New
Jersey supported this view, while Representatives,
Hayes of California. and Scott argued against IL
A futile attempt made by several Far west
ern members to eliminate an appropriation OF
5000 900 for Improvement of the forest service, but
1t vas defeated by Overwhelming vote repre-
sentative Smith. Of California, opened the atac6
by declaring that the governments policy IN regard
TO the public lands and the forest reserves IS one
of extortion and greed that it levies a toll on
every industry in the West near the reserves. ana
unless It is changed the people will not tolerate 1t
Representatives Cook, Of Colorado. and Mondeil OF
wyoming. seconded this statement asserting thai
the Forest Service exaCts money from pFoSpectoIS
herdsmen and others on government reserves. This
they ali declared to be unjust, but Representative
Weeks of Massachusetts, showed that there IS no
instance where charge has been made Tor pros
pecting and that whenever the government makes
a charge for any use OF the forest reserves 1t is
invariably much lower than that asked by private
individuals.
Representative Mann closed the debate with a
vehement speech in which he charged that the
custom Of many citizens of the Western states FOR
years Before the establishment Of the present forest
policy had been TO loot the public domain. and
that when the government attempts 10 claim its
own 1T Is looked upon a TobbeT He showed
that the fire control established by the Forest Ser
vice had saved millions of dollars. and ended by
saying that the work Of Clifford Pinchot Will be OF
inestimable value to future generations.
There sharp exchange of words between
Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa and Mr.. Livingston, Of
Georgia, two of the oldest members Of the House
It arose over coIoquy between Mr.. Livingston
and Mr Scott. which carried in such a
low tone Of voice that Mr. Hepburn protested he
could not hear and that they both were out OF
order He quoted the rule requiring members 10
address the Chair.
4 very much Obliged 10 the gentleman" re
piled Mr.. Livingston. amid an uproar Of laughter.
but he certainly IS getting In his dotage."
The Chair admonished the members that they
must observe the rules and address the Chair
SmartnG under Mr.. L4vingston's characterize
4ion, Mr.. Hepburn again got the floor. The gen
tleman from Georgia IN hts amability has sug-
gested that l am in my dotage," he said. and yet
his evidence % that that 7 could hear
his wanderings. But the moment the Chair ad-
dressed the House in loud tones the gentleman at
once said I cannot hear I submit the question
Of dotage to the membership
Although vexed at first. Mr.. Hepburn smiled as
he down. the House IN the mean time being
convulsed with laughter.