Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-26
OPPOSITION PARTY MAY TAKE UP
ROOSEVELT LAND WITH
DRAWALS.
PARApoxlcAL ACTION ON
BILL BEFORE THE HOUSE
Substitute Measure Presented For One
Which Eliminated Provisions Demo-
Gratis opposed-kioked Own Props
From Under Best Features of Pend
ing Measure.

Washington, April 26.-The demo-
er avidity than has characterized their
congressional conduct for years. They
are putting themselves into determined
opposition all along the line, especially
in the house. But it is difficult to de-
termine, from an analysis of their
course regar riding the land withdrawal
bill, just where they hope to garner
credit They made a tremendous stir
over this measure when it was before
the house. Ferris, of Oklahoma,
assaulted the two provisos which con-
ditioned the proposed notifications of
the Roosevelt Withdrawals. These pro-
visos assumed to protect the legal or
equitable rights of persons who had
entered public land previous to its
Withdrawals. They were made in the
interest of the oil prospectors in Cali
fornia, who, in the face of the Roose
Welt withdrawals, had proceeded to ex-
pend money upon the public domain.
The democrats, almost unanimously.
joined in the assault upon those pro-
visos They would have nothing to do
with any such qualifications. Their
votes, joined with many republican
votes, cleared the provisos out of the
withdrawal bill, and left complete rati-
fication of the Roosevelt Withdrawals.
The measure, as it passed the house,
was in better shape than had been ex-
pected by most conservationists, and
the democrats We're, up to that time,
in position to claim great credit for
standing by conservation.
Substitute Bill Proposed.
But their next move kicked all of
this completely over. When the bill
was perfected, with this democratic as
sistance, the democrats turned against
it. and proposed to substitute an en-
tirely different measure. Their bill
was one which the democrats had ap-
proved in committee. 1t did not say
one word about the Roosevelt with
drawals. Its adoption would not nave
given the ratification which conserva-
tionists have regared as an important
part of the majority bill.
The only step which the democrats
took in that direction was to order the
secretary of the interior to report what
Withdrawals had been made. and the
authority for making them. This meant
that the persons responsible for the
Withdrawals should be put on the de-
reNSlSe. INey must IeClle liG 10" go
der which the Withdrawals were made
and prove that their action was WITHIN
their authority.
Robinson Won't State Stand.
Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas, the
ranking democratic member OF the
committee on lands. was asked dur
ing the debate whether he wanted 70
be understood as favoring ratification.
He said he didn't know. He wanted TO
hear under what authority the with
drawals had been made. and TO kno"
more in detail about the Withdrawals
Then he would be in position, ne
said. to know whether there ought 10
be ratification He declared that many
of the Withdrawals had been assaulted
on the ground that they were Haoe
ruthlessly and unnecessarily.
This indicates the line which the
democrats probably will take In the
west as one of their campaign issues.
In some parts of the western states
the Roosevelt Withdrawals were in
tensely unpopular. and the democrats
are thus putting them selves in position
to profit from the western feellns.