The San Francisco call., 1909-08-29
MAJORITY FAVOR
FEDERAL CONTROL
Pardee Adherents Win Victory
for Calling Halt on Land
and Water Grabs
Heney Adds Voice to General
Protest Against Avarice
of Power Trust

1 SEATTLE Aug. 2S.-The nationa
4 conservation congress today effected .
permanent organization, adopted q
radical water right resolution after q
4 vigorous debate in which radical senti-
1nent was expressed by a majority oi
the delegates, listened to addresses by
4 Secretary Of the Interior Richard A
8 Bananger; Francis J. Heney, the San
j Francisco prosecutor, and by Chief For
ester Clifford Pinchot, and adjourned.
Secretary BaIlinger arrived from
1 eastern Washington. where he has been
with the senate irrigation committee, on
. an afternoon train BalIinger was es-
corted al once to the convention in the
fine arts building at the Alaska Yukon
Pacific exposition, where he spoke for a
Few minutes.
I Following Secretary Ballinger, Fran
: els J. Heney, the san Francisco prose-
cutor made a short but vigorous ad-
. dress in which he attacked the water
. power trust
CALL FOR PINCHOT
Heney had no sooner finished than
there were loud calls for Chief For
ester Pinchot His appearance on the
p. platform was the signal for a pro-
longed demonstration. Pinchot thanked
,. The delegates for the expression and
then took up the attack on the power
:=trust begun by Heney.
Invitations for the next congress
were received from Los Angeles and
: Kansas City. They were left in the
hands Of the executive committee.
Following is the text ef the water
rights resolutions as adopted:
cNo -
Of comprehensive water laws framed
. in accordance with the policy pursued
. in several western states during recent
years. Incorporating the principle that
the waters belong TO the people. We
hold this right of the people is inherent
and -indefensible. Reco gnizing the
necessity OF administering this invalu-
able possession of the people, we deny
the right Of the state or federal gov
ernment TO ALLEVIATE or convey water
by granting franchises for the use
thereof for commercial or power pur-
poses in perpetuity or without just
compensation in the interests of the
people.
I've hold that all natural resources
belong primarily TO the whole people
and should not be alienated by munich
pal, state or national grants or fran
chises 10 individuals or corporations ex-
cept for limited periods
PARDEE UPHOLDS MOTION
? The resolution, which was patterned
after one adopted by the national irri-
cation congress at its recent meeting in
Spokane, found an ardent advocate in
former Governor George c. Pardee of
California. who had been one of the
leading supporters of the policies of
Chief Forester Clifford Pinchot, while
United States District Judge c. H. Han
ford of Seattle took an active part in
opposing the resolution.
Judge Hanford argued that it is the
promise Of land and water rights that
draws settlers TO the west, and that
any change in the present policy Of
turning water rights over to private
companies would not only be unwise,
but would be unfair
DR.. W. J. McGee, who fathered the
resolution favoring permanent govern
mental control Of power sites and water
rights, also took an active part in the
discussion. He said that the govern
ment has no moral right to make a
perpetual grant Of such natural re-
sources, which he maintained should
belong to the people.
RESOLUTION Is ADOPTED
The resolution is similar to that
adopted by the recent irrigation con-
gress at Spokane It declares that the
grants of water rights to a reasonable
definite time and exact an annual. tax
upon them. The resolution was drawn
by DR.. W. J. McGee. the soil water ex-
pert.
Those who voted for it in committee
were former Governor Pardee of Cali
fornia, Doctor McGee, H A Barker of
Rhode Island. Ralph Hosmer of Hawaii,
W j. Fleming Jones Of New Mexico,
John Z. Hardtner of Louisiana. Those
who opposed it were United States Dis
trict Judge Cornelius II. Hanford Of
colorado, Benjamin F. Wilcox of New
York and Prof. /. @. Carpenter of Colo
rado.
The majority for the MCGEE resolu-
ton was large
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
4 The congress formed a permanent or
ganization and elected these officers:
President. Bernard \. Baker of Balti-
more secretary, /. +. Brown of Seattle;
executive committee. J. j. White, Mis-
souri,; Liberty p. Bailey. New York
u n. Teal. Portland, ore: J. Z. Hardt-
q Il inc