The San Francisco call., 1910-12-22
Commission To
FRAME LAWS ON
CONSERVATION
Pardee, ROwell and Heney in
Favor of PostpOning Legis=
IatiOn Until 1913
Special Republican Committee
Urges Careful Investiga=
tiOn TO Avoid Mistakes
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH

inant note in the conservation work Of
the coming legislature is suggested by
the accomplishments of the special
committee on conservation appointed
by the state central committee. which
met last week.
After the meeting of the committee,
which includes in its membership for
mer Governor George c. Pardee, Ches-
ter H. Roweu Of Fresno and Francis
J. Heney. it was intimated that the
committee was disposed to make haste
slowly to the end that costly mistakes
might be avoided.
II is not improbable that instead of
presenting anything like a bill or Sc
ries Of bills designed to be the foun-
dation for a conservation policy, the
special committee will recommend to
the legislature that il provide for a
special commission charged with the
preparation of a report to be returned
10 The legislature in 1913.
Apparently the special committee ap-
pointed by the state central commit
tee was able to agree upon at least one
thing. and this was that ii could not
be expected to present to the legisla-
ture anything like a well considered
problem.
TIME TOO SHORT
While all the members of that COM
nittee have many well settled opin-
ionns upon the conservation question,
it appears that none of them is willing
20 stand sponsor for legislation devel-
open over night and warranted TO give
the state the protection promised by
the republican platform.
The recommendation for the appoint
ment Of a commission charged with
making a thorough investigation Of
the states resources and needs and the
preparation of legislation to meet those
needs. could not be construed in fair
ness as confession of a desire to dodge
the issue. It is contended that such
recommendation would be rather an
earnest Of the&pecial committees good
faith and its desire to protect the pub
lie against I'll considered and probably
ineffective legislation.
II the special commission that has
been suggested were to be formed
after the manner Of hOldover commits
sions OF the past, il would probably
consist Of two or more members of
each legislative house empowered to
employ expert assistance, or, possibly,
the membership would include one or
. more persons not members of the legis-
lature. chosen because of their interest
in or expert knowledge of the subject
matter.
WILL REDEEM PLEDGES
on behalf Of this make haste slow
ly' policy it is argued that painstak-
ing investigation covering a period of
two years would result in adequate
and proper legislation and enable the
republican party and Governor John
son fully to redeem the platform
pledges. Both George .. Pardee and
Francis J. Heney have taken a keen
interest in the national conservation
work and they have been suggested as
probable members of the holdoYer COM
mission, If it be constituted to include
any other than legislative members.
In point of salary the berth of ad-
jutant general is one Of the least de-
sirable plums in the gift of the gov
ernOr, but apparently few If any are
more earnestly sought by the good citi-
zens who are willing TO sacrifice them
selves to make JohnsOn's administra-
tion a success. General Lauck, incum-
bent, is convinced that he could serve
as he served Commanders in Chief Par
dee and Gillett. Strong in that belief
Lauck has filed his application for a
rev commission and rested his case
upon his record.
There are other applications. They
uAt AVA AOAAN6Q Un ItCOI0S OF service
in the adjutant generals ofice-that is
with a single exception-but upon
promises Of services guaranteed tC
place California in the very van of the
citizen soldiers of America. The ex-
ceptiOn is presented in the person OF
Colonel A W. Bradbury of Los An
Eeles, assistant adjutant general, who
would exchange his titles of colone,
dassistant and his salary of $4,000
for those of general and a salary OF
$500.
SOUTH HAS CANDIDATES
Bradbury is not the only Los An
geles aspirant. 1t is a poor job that
has not more than one Los Angeles
aspirant. There is Colonel w. G.
Schreiber of Los Angeles and the Sew
enth regiment. He is said to be the
favored candidate Of some of the Los
Angeles republicans identified with the
last state campaign, and one of the
uniform manufacturing concerns 1t is
also said that he exhibited democratic
tendencies in the last campaign.
San Diego has a candidate in the per
son Of Major Herbert r. Fay of ths
coast artillery. Colonel Smith Of the
Fifth regiment is said to be more thar
willing TO exchange the unremurera-
tive honors Of his rank for the mere
solid rewards and larger cares of th,
adiutant generals Office. Colonel J. K
fltter IS out aIter the place with
strong backing. but the military au
thorities say that he is charging int
a blind pass because Of his alleged in
eligibility. The military code of Cali
fornia provides that the adjutant gen
eral shall have served at least TIVE
years in the national guard of Cali
fornis with the rank Of captain. Th.
same authorities declare that the rec
ords fail TO show that Ritter has serve,
in the national guard in any capacity
Walter Parrish, secretary of the stat
hospital for the insane at Stockton, i
an active candidate for secretary of tn
senate, vice Louis Hilborn, who has Cd
parently made no effort to secure hi
reelection by progressive senate
Parrish, who formerly was a tele
grapher, is a protege of Dr. Fred P
Clark. superintendent Of the Stockton
hospital and has served as secretary o
the San Joaquin county republican com
mittee. Parrish has been regular il
politics but has some strong progres
sive friends who are expected to lant
him in the desired berth.
WOMAN GOES HOME