The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-02-08
CLIFFORD ptNcHoT MAKES INTER.
EsTiNo REPORT TO MA.
rloNAL ASSOCIATION.
DISCUSSES NINE BILLS
Former Chief Forester Picks Out Faults
and Makes Suggestions as 10 Changes
IN Important Measures Now Before
Congress Looking Toward the Pres.
ervation OF Natural Resources.

Washington. Feb 7.-"conservation
the necessity for the passage nj tho
present session of congress Of good
laws for the protection of the natural
resources of the United States''-is the
Keynote of "A report just made To the
National Conservation association by
clifford Pinchot. recently chosen presi-
dent Of the association. Mr. ePlnchot
takes up, In what he calls IA spirit
of constructive criticism nine bills re-
iating Ia the conservation of natural
resources introduced In congress jan
nary lS an behalf Of Secretary OF the
Interior Ballinger, one OF which has
been reported from the public lands
committee. the other eight being still
in the aands Of the connn',,ce
Mr. Pinchot calls upon the members
of the association To put forth strong
efforts To have enacted into law the
bin on the withdrawal of public lands,
which has been presented in amended
form from the committee by Senator
Nelson, following conferences between
| the committee and the officers OF the
conservation association. This bill. Mr.
Plnchot thinks, should have the "nn-
qualified support of the members Of the
| association"
OF the other eight bills he believes
that some merely require amendment,
while others must be recast. The coal
bin and the phosphate. oil, asrhaiium
and natural gas bills. he reports. are
fundamentally sound In principle. hut
need some amendment. They wisely
separate. he said. the surface OF tho
land from the underlying minerals and
provide for the disposal of the minerals
by lease and not by sale Int the
coal bill. he asserts. contains no anf-
ficient anti monopoly clause. The
clause that purposes to regulate rates
to be charged the public IL 20 framed
that II may be evaded with ease"
WastefuI Level.
Another clause of the bill. he adds,
may reduce the standard of mining to
the wasteful level of the prevailing
commercial practice.
/ In regard To the bill for survey OF
railroad land grants. he expresses the
opinion that IL Will enable the railroads
properly to perfect titles to their lands,
but IL oyerlooks the long pending un-
derstanding between certain of the
roads and the forest service for the
return Of railroad lands within the na-
tional forests 10 the United States, in
return foi the righ. 10 cut In one body
an amount of timber equal 10 that on
the lands returned" This understand
ing, he says, requires only legisiation
to make 1t effective.
Speaking Of the water power BILL
Mr.. Pinchot declared that "it repeats
in silence the existing water power
law and eurtails the already ample
power now exercised with the approval
Of former attorney general, by the
department of agriculture" Tho pro-
vision in the bill for compensation to
the government by the companies. he
holds. Is good Water power sites
should be protected from private ap-
preparation under the land laws, he
says. and IL should be made possible
to issue 10 the companies permits good
for and definitely terminating nj the
end OF 40 years.
Fault Found.
The fault found by Mr.. Pinehot with
tic piil - AlislA ~ blfEltS IT,
claimed lands to absentee landlords and
Spectators. \ bad feature Of tho
bill for the sale Of timber and timber
lands. he declares. Is that 1t replaces
the objectionable features of tho timber
and stone act, which WAS the induce
ment 10 speculation in government TIM
bers. with provisions that promote
speculation and retard the development
Of agricultural itna mineral lands far
more than did the act il repeals.
In failing to separate tho surface
from the underlying minerals. tile bill
for the classification af public lands
is inconsistent with tho coal bll he
finds. The withdrawal hill ns amend
ed and reported ha Senator Nelson
makes easy" said Mr. Pinehat. Tho
protection If all natnral resources on
the public domain until good laws
can he passed
The whole Influence o. the eanssrva-
iian association, he dcesres should ho