Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-07
CONSERVATION BILL
Now Has Right of Way In Senate
Nelson Crticizes Alaska Situation.

Washington, June b.-By vote ol
40 to "a, the Senate today, took up
the administration bill to authorize
the President to withdraw public lands
for conservation purposes. The mega
tive vote was cast by members who
believed that the bill to admit Arizona
and New Mexico into the Union as
separate states should have been given
the right of way.
The action today indicates that even
If an agreement is reached subsequent
ly by which q vote shall be taken on
the state hood bill, it will be delayed
until near the close of the session when
there may be slight change for it to
emerge from the conference. The Dem
ocrats led in the movement to have the
statehood measure substituted for the
conservation bill and they seemed to
see in the situation Il scant opportun-
ity for action on the Arizona New
Mexico hill at the present session.
The general understanding is that
the rivers and harbors bill conference
report will I've taken up tomorrow as
privile ged matter and that the con
servation legislation will give way for
the time being.
The parliamentary situation eStab-
liShed today seems to have left the
Democrats in the lurch. If they OPP
pose the adoption of the conferences
report on the rivers and harbOrS bill
the effect would be to delay action on
the statehood measure. Appropria
tion bills also viii be used to displace
business before the Senate and the
surdry civil bill can be brought in
when it is needed.
There appears to be, therefore, strong
probability thai the statehood measure
will be the last OF all the important
measures before Congress to come up
for consideration. The indications are
that final action cannot be taken be
fore next season at least.
Washington. June 6.-Declaring toda!
that Alaska had been put in a straight
jacket" by the withdrawal of the publ,
lands, Senator Nelson sharply criticized
the policy of conservation practiced il
that territory.
The Minnesota senator was diScuSSin.
the bill authorizing the President to with
draw from entry the public lands fol
public purposes. which he advocated. Mel
sons declaration attracted especial at
tention because he is chairman of the
special joint committee which is invest
eating the conservation controversy be
tween Secretary Ballinger and former
Forester Pinchot, and also of the public
lands committee of the Senate
He said that he desired especially tina
it should be understood that he did no
mean to criticize either the present ad
ministration or the preceding one. He
added that he thought Congress was as
much to blame as anyone.
Nelson's speech followed one by CLAIR
of Wyoming sharply crticizng the bill.
Clark proceeded upon the theory that
the President has no more authority t
suspend the land laws than he has T.
suspend any other laws, and he declared
that previous suspensions had been ln
justified On the other hand, Nelson
found justification in existing law for the
withdrawal of the public lands from en-
try. The senator from Minnesota ia
vored conservative action. however, or
the part of the Executive in deprivinl
the public of the opportunity to avail it
self of the benefits of the public re
sources. He thought that the present
generation should have fun access t(
those resources.