Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-08
Change in Garfield Order Logical
Step in Its Development.
LANDS RESTORED TO ENTRY
Areas Excepted Not Needed to Pro-
teot Power Sites.
ADDITIONAL WITHDRAWALS MADE
Number of valuable sites Are Now
Protected that Were Not In
cluded i'm Order Made by
His Predecessor.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7.-seoretary Bal
lingers widely discussed revocation Of the
famous Garfield order" withdrawing
from settlement 100000 acres OF public
lands. and the substitution thereof OF
withdrawal order, withholding from settle
ment 100000 acres, today was declared by
Mr.. Ballinger to have been wholly pro-
motive-not subversive-of the conserva-
ton policy.
lengthy explanation Of his cancellation
OF the Garfield withdrawal was given TO
the press by Mr.. Balinser who asserted
that It was a logical step in the preparation
of the policy OF conserving the water
power on the federal domain, an done
which Mr.. Garfield must have taken him
self had he remained in office.
THE first order was a blanket with
drawal issued to meet an emergency ana
without taking time to ascertain just
where the power sites were located" Sec
retary Ballnger said. Intelligent prose-
cution of the policy demanded that as
soon as possible thereafter these sites be
located and the lands not needed to pro-
tect them be restored to entry. It would
be an unwarranted reflection on Secre-
tary Garfield to assume that he would not
have done precisely what I did-ascertaiu
as soon as practicable where the power
sites were actually located and issue a
new order Withdrawing them from settle
ment and restoring to entry all linds not
needed for that purpose.
Orders Made Retroactive.
'I found that by utilizing the geological
survey instead OF the reclamation service,
which had been employed by my prede-
cessor I would secure accurate informa-
ton as to the location of the power sites.
On consultation with the legal officers Of
my department, found that could make
withdrawal orders retroactive; that is,
that l could issue withdrawal orders later
which would effectually protect any power
sites within any entries which might have
been made in the interim. The retroactive
provision of the subsequent Withdrawals
operated completely TO conserve the sites.
mot a single power site has passed out
Of the possession of the government dur
ing this administration" continued the
secretary.
"As matter OF fact, the Withdrawals
ordered by me protected so per cent more
power sites than were conserved by the
Garfield order, This implies no criticism
Of the Garfield order and merely shows
that the Garfield order was tentative
Several withdrawal orders.
MY first withdrawal order was dated
May T. 1902 and the last, which included
any of the lands formerly withdrawn,
June 10, 1909 but each of these orders con-
tanned the sentence, All existing claims,
filings and entries are temporarily sus-
pended AS a matter of fact, there was
not single filing made on a power site
during the interim. on the other hand,
the restoration to entry Of over 100000
acres of land not needed to protect power
sites alayed widespread discomfort and
thus avaided unnecessary making of enc
mics for the conservation policy. Since
June 10 I have made twenty-five additional
Withdrawals in entirely new territory"
Secretary Balinger stated that his or
ders of withdrawal do not protect power
sites within forest reservations, ana added
in explanation that previously he had Of
fered to include power sites on forest res
ervations, but that the offer was declined
on the ground that the forest service could
take care of such sites. The secretary as
serted that a number of factors caused his
course to be misunderstood and mlsrepre-
sented, but some of these he was not at
liberty to discuss.