The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-28
Mining Men Respect Pinchot
Personally, but Do Not
Agree With Him.
HIS CONSERVATION POLICIES
WILL HAVE THORNY PATH
Resolutions Introduced That
Promise to Bring Battle to
Floor of Congress.

LOS ANGELES, Cal, Sept. o7.-Thal
the shouts and cheers which greeted
Clifford Pinchot' S speech before the
American Mining congress last night
were tributes to the man personally,
rather than to the theories and ideals
OF conservation, which he cnuuciated,
was indicated today BY the introduction
OF resolutions which denounced the land
withdrawal plans Of the conservation
lists as "mere sham and pretense.
and condemned proposed conservation
legislation, (which tends to make
mining men and other citizens of the
united States lcssees of, or tribute
payers 10 the national government
Would Have Restrictions.
Another resolution demands that the
forestry bureau he dcbarrcd hereafter
from becoming party to protest
| against mine claim. and that it no
longer proceed on the assumption that
MINER who has located a claim in
/ good faith within q forest reserve is
timber thief in disguise. And accom-
panylng these came speeches frora Con
gresham 5. G.. Smith Of California and
Frank +. Short of Fresno, in which
both denounced the idea of substitut.
| ing wha. was termed ga percentage or
mere tenancy basis for absolute owner
ship of oil and metaIiferons lands But
| thesc were counterbalanced by 3d-
| dresses in support of conservation de-
livered by Thomas H. Gibbon and S G.
Graham of Los Angeles
Mr.. Gibbon said the government
would be falthless TO a trust if it did
not grant patents to the oil men who
had entered upon and are developing
| hos =, D.
he declared in favor of the government
stepping IN and withholding all the re.
sources that arc left until they are
needed, and then TO lease them To 10.
Gators on nominal basis, simply, he
said, to prevent them falling into
monopolistic hands.
Test Will Come Soon.
The real test between the couscrva-
tIonlsts and ntlconservationists how.
ever, Will come tomorrow or Thursday.
when the resolutions denonpcin1 the
conservation plans and declaring for
free right of mineral entry on govern
| ment lands. without lease or tax, will
| come before the convention as Il whole.
| The resolutions committee is not likely
to pass upon thcm. The probabilities
arc that it will report the resolutions
| without recommendation and let the
members Of the congress fight it out
| themselves.
Through President Fox the Califor-
mia OIL Men s association formally re-
quested the congress to take no action
toward Endorsement of any proposed
laws relating to the oil industry,
| Congressman $. G., Smith of Bakers.
field followed with the principal address
of the day, He declared he was in IA
vor OF a law that would perpetuatc the
old fashioned policy of an Individuals
tic government, in guaranteeing to au
| American citizen the right of possess
ing mineral claims on which he had cx-
pended money and time in search OF 4
competency.
| The plan of the conservationists. lie
! declared. would substitute a system of
mere tenancy for absolute ownership
| Il system that was unluSt IN Vlcw of
the hazards entaied by metalHferous
mining and oil prospecting. Consider
ing the hazard, be asserted an oil or
mining prospector was entitled to all he
could get out of reasonable amount
of mineral ]aud-not mere percentage.
Resources Gift of Nature.
Mr. Smith combatted the idea that
mineral and agricultural lands, water
aud water power sites were national re
sources. They were natural he declared
the gift of nature TO the man who
found them.
Frank +. Short Of Fresno. Thomas
T.. plDDon. -. u DTaDam ana Lee Y.
Gates of Los Angeles, and George h.
Whitaker of Bakersfield delivered
short addresses on the same subject.
Resolutions demanding the enact
mcnt of employers liability laws that
will have the effect of rendering minc
operators and heads of other industries
more cautious and thus protect the lives
of their men, constituted one of the
main subjects for discussion in the res
olutions committee TODAY,
The resolutions were offered by Da-
vid Ross delegate from the coal fields
Of Illinois. Statutes arc recommended
which will provide definite sums as
mine accidents. without the necessity
of having TO prove negligence in court.
The main clause of the resolutions sets
forth
Definite Compensation Asked.
E.That IL is the sense OF this con
grcss that in order TO remove the cause
of much extensive and detrimental lit.
igation and TO guarantee reasonable
measure of protection to those who daily
risk their lives In mining and other
productive occupations Of the country.
that laws should be enacted III the DIFF
ferent states specifically defining the
duties of employers in this respect by
providing definite compensation in the
case Of all injuries.
"BclicvinG that such legal require
mcuts would result in greater caution,
thereby tending to reduce the number
of fatalities and to that extent couscrv
ing the lives of our citizens. the con
rrcss expresses its earnest conviction
Of the Justice of making such provisions
against the financial losses sustained
through accidents and pledges it's in
nuence and support in behalf of snch
legislation by the federal state govern
mcnts.