New-York tribune., 1909-05-31
POUrER SITES HELD BACK.
Ralinger Demonstrates Adherence to
Conservation Policy.
TFrc7n III. Tribune Bureau


Washington. MAJ 30.-The Secretary If ths In
tsrior withdrew from entry Saturday 1855
acres Of public land In Utah. Colorado Wyoming.
Montana. Idaho and Oregon. because they contained
water power sites This step is pursuant TO the dc
termination Of Secretary Banger. with the entire
approval of the President cancel the wholesale
Withdrawals made with the same object but with
insufficient information, in the course Of the last
administration. Through the Geological Survey the
Secretary has beer able to protect all the power
sites withdrawn hy Secretary Garfield. and moro,
while he withdraws from entry only one-sixth the
area hitherto withdrawn.
When Secretary Ballinger opened 10 entry the
great area withdrawn by his predecessor and in
structed the director OF the Geological Survey 10
advise him as 10 what areas must he withdrawn 70
protect the sites until Congress should have
time TO legisate regarding them there was emphatic
protest from those who failed 10 grasp the purpose
OF the Secretary and who imagined that his course
constituted a blow at the conservation movement
Saturdays Withdrawals based definite inforTna-
ton and including even greater number Of sites
although a greatly decreased area, demonstrate the
extent to which those who voiced these protests
We're mised.
The director OF the Geological Survey has assured
the Secretary that the temporary withdrawals Of
y-ater power sites already made from data in the
possession of the survey together with such RS VIII
hereafter be prior the conyening Of Congress
VIII be ample 10 protect all the important water
power sites Undisposed of the public domain
and will enable Congress TO legislate intelligenty
for their disposition Field plans provide for spe-
cia1 investigation OF Withdrawals already made and
for surveys along certain Western rivers where
further information data desiT-
able, IN addition the continuation Of the regular
river flow observations, for all OF which work the
current appropra tions provide
Five OF the eleven Withdrawals already made in
clude all the POWER sites available in the areas
withdrawn by Secretary Garfield and restored
Try by Secretary Ballinger last month The present
Withdrawals. however comprise much smaller
acreage. one-si1th or less OF the Of the
responding earlier Withdrawals This reduction has
been made possible in part by emission Of lands
patented reserved prior 70 the original with
draTals. but largely ny the exclusion OF land
in TO wise essential useful 10 power development
The vacated Withdrawals included large areas Of
public land Of possible agricultural mineral value
at such distances from the rivers TO have abso-
lutely no connection with the future development ~
the water resources. On the other hand. the revised
Withdrawals in tho same regions IN some Instances
cover power sites missed b. the earlier action Thus
the of the Salmon River IN Idaho whore the
original withdrawal totalled S22.5o acres that based
upon the recent recommendation OF the Geological
Survey includes $500 acres. \ similar reduction
holds for the Owyhee River. in Oregon and in even
greater measure for the Flathead and the Missouri
and tributaries in Montana