The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-30
Conservation Bills introduced
at Last Session of Congress
to be Opposed.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS
BUSY PLANNING BATTLE
"Taft- Wckersham-NeIsOn" Pol
icies Sure to Precipitate
a Bitter Fight.

DENVER, July 29-Charging that
the conservation bills known AS sen
ate bills numbers j4S4 and 54S6 to
5492, inclusive introduced at the last
session Of congress, will, if adopted,
seriously retard western mining develop
ment, and add to the ''already heavy
BURDEN of mining men. western mining
men are planning strenuous fight
against these measures at the annual
session of the American Mining con
gress, to be held In Los Angeles, begin
ming September 90. The official call
for this meeting was issued at the Den
yer headquarters today, and 5000 dele
gates are expected to attend. represent
ing the important mining centers of the
United States and Canada, Mexico and
Alaska.
Big Fight Coming.
1t was announced at the headquar-
ters of the mining congress today that
the conservation policy would receive
a big share of the attention of the con-
gress. and an endeavor would be made
to learn the true attitude of the west
on this question. a bitter fight is eX
pccted to result, as for weeks sentiment
among the mining men has been actively
forming IN opposition to what are
termed the "Taft Wickersham- Nelson -
policies concerning the development Of
water powers and disposition OF mineral
lands
The leaders expected to speak against
the measures are Senators Borah and
Hepburn of Idaho, Senators Perkins of
California and Congressman Bartlett OF
Nevada.
The most energetic advocates of the
Roosevelt conservation policy, including
Clifford Pinchot, James r, Garfield,
Former Governor Pardee Of California,
and others are also expected to ad-
dress the delegates.
Roosevelt .May Be There.
1t IS Thought not unlikely that Mr.
Roosevelt himself may yield TO the |
pressure that is being eXerted through
out the western states to accept the
invitation to be present and defend |
the policy which is causing widespread |
it is asserted, among |
all mining interests.
"There is no doubt that the mortal |
blow at the prime industry Of the west |
that is contained in the conservation |
bills will be cmphatically resented at |
the Los Angeles meeting,o said promi |
nent official of the mining congress this
afternoon.
"These bills provide in effect that
the remaining coal lands shall be leased |
by the federal government, part only |
of the proceeds to be paid TO the states;
and that the development of water
power shall be controlled by the gem
eral government. Added to the bur
dens already placed upon mining by the
forest service, the regulations concern
ing the location and patentIng of claims,
and the use of timber, ETC., the policy
of taking the remaining resources from
the control Of the states constitutes SO
radical departure from the system
under which western development has
already gone forward, that it will re-
tard all western development, and min
ing, as the principal western industry,
will suffer most heavily"
Much Work Ahead.
According to the programme of The
three Denver men, General Irv-
ing Hale, Herbert S, Sands and Charles
A. Chase, will give the report of com
mittee which is investigating the stan
of electrical equipment in
metal mining. Colonel A. g. Brownlee
of Idaho Springs will address the con-
vention as the representative of com
nittee which is investigating the effect
Of the national forest service regula-
tions upon mining in Colorado.
James + Callbreath of Denver, ma
tional secretary of the American Min
ing congress, is now in Los Angeles pre-
pairing for the meeting.