The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-05-24
MORE DIGNITY
LESS FRICTION
Continued From Page 1


pet very early in the game 1t was i'm
reference to the withdrawal Of some
100000 or 5000. 600 acres of land from
entry in North Dakota because they
were Underlain with Ignite In very
many instances homestead entries had
been made. and the homesteaders. after
living on the lands the required time
and properly cuitivating them could
not get patent because they were elias
Sitied as coal lands by the geological
survey. Under plans made during the
prior administration it was proposed TO
have agents of the geological survey
examine each entry and report upon the
coal character and coal value OF the
land before admitting it to patent. Sec
rotary Ballinger called the director of
the survey IN and asked him the cues
ton; Are these lands now more val
dable Cor coal than agriculture?" The
answer was. They are more valua bic
now for agriculture than for coal. but
in few years from now they viii be
much more valuable for coal than for
agriculture Then. for entries which
have been made. and for entries made
AT the present time, we will consider
them as agricultural lands" sad the
secretary. This short cut Will save the
government several hundred thousand
r-DAitNAss ~ MIN MuAlA nave DftH NDtflE
in having special agents investigate the
lands. and viii save the settlers many
months and years OF delay. when
would have befallen them had the
theories Of the geological survey sa,
wants been allowed 10 control the stu
alton.
Trouble With Pinehot.
The case of possible conflict between
cabinet officer and one of his Subor-
dinates which attracts the greatest at
TEN on is that of Secretary Wilson anG
FORESTER Pinchot. The forester in name
has been subordinate 50 the secretary
5f agriculture. b wei known
t1at II mas been VITO NY, and that
in forestry matters and administration
Forester Pincho: has becu entirety m
dependent Of his chief. 1t has Daen q
matter Of much speculation whether the
head o. the forestry bureau would have
the same ascendency over President
Taft thai he had over President Roose-
welt. \ subject of controversy has
arisen which will probably result I'm q
solution of the speculation. Under the
previous administration the forestry
bureau from time TO time applied 10
have certain lands outside Of forest re-
servatiOns withdrawn from general en-
try so that they could be used for forest
administrative
uses. Land Commissioner bennett de-
MED the Applications, holding that such
Withdrawals could not legally be MADE
in face Of the law Of 1907 forbidding en-
larSement OF forest reservations in Ger
tain states without the sanction OF fed
eral legislation. Secretary Garfield
Overruled Land Commissioner bennett
and the Withdrawals were made. Ii is
important to state in this connection
that Secretary Garfield's legal adviser
was ASS slant Attorney General Wo,,,l-
ruff. a protege Of Forester Pinchot. and
formerly a law clerk in the forestry bu-
reau. After the change of administrat ton
when further applications were made
by the forestry bureau for the with
drawai Of lands for ranger stations.
Land Commissioner bennett again
TUNED them down. and i'm this he was
sustained by Secretary Baiinscr.
Brief Being Prepared.
The forestry bureau is now preparing
q brief on the subject and win submit
10 the president as a form of appeal
from the decision Of the secretary of
the interior. IL is believed President
Taft viii refer the brief to the attorney
general and VIII act in the matter III
accordance with the attorney generals
Interpretation of the law. In this MAJ
ter there has been no controversy be-
tween the secretary Of the interior and
the secretary OF agriculture. both ap-
pareatly being satisfied to abide by the
decision Of the head Of the department
Of Justice. But the decision Will mean
much 10 the head of the forestry bu-
reau, and the continuation of his pres
tige depends to a great degree upon
how the attorney general will decide.