The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-30

A spirited attack upon Secretary Bal
fingers administration of the Interior
Department is contained in a bulletin is
sued by the National Conservation As
ISOLATION over the signature Of President
Clifford Pinchot.
Mr.. PinchOt gives the association credit
for accomplishing a great deal at the re-
cent session of Congress in furthering
the cause of conservation. He states that
the conservation bills as originally pro-
posed by the administration were most
ly bad
Mr.. Pinchot claims that in a number Of
Instances measures were improved as a
result of the activities Of officers of the
association. The bulletin opens with this
statement:
Progress During Session.
THE National Conservation Association
has substantial cause for satisfaction in
the progress achieved during the session
Of Congress just closed. in spite Of all
opposition. the principles for which we
stand have been enacted into law in a
considerable number Of cases, and are
represented in many bills awaiting ac-
ton.
More than one avenue TO monopolistic
grabbing Of the peoples property has
been closed, but much still remains TO be
done The friends Of the conservation
movement are in better position TO con-
tinue the fight than seemed possible
when the session Of Congress began"
/ President Pinchot refers 10 nine con-
/ servaton bills prepared by the admin
istration and introduced by Senator Mel
son. Of Minnesota, chairman of the SEN
ate Committee on Public Lands.
These bills were mostly bad" he con-
| tinues. THE timber sale bill in par
/ icular was wholly indefensible. For
five Of these bills substitutes. embodying
conservation. principles. were prepared by
/ the association, covering all important
phases OF the conservation programme OF
the administration. These are before
Congress for consideration az its next
session"
Names Administration Bills.
Mr.. Pinchot enumerates the bills ad-
vocated by the association that were
passed. They are the public lands with
drawal act. the Indian and the Statehood
acts, the Appalachian forest bill, the bill
! separating the surface OF public land
from underlying mineral. and the bnl
! creating the Bureau Of Mines
Among the bills opposed by the asso-
citation was one granting water power
/ sites 10 the States. The main purpose
OF this bill" according 10 Mr.. Pinchot.
was 10 transfer to Western States all
the powers and responsibilities Of the
national government with respect TO
water-power development on lands own
/ ed by the nation. The association be-
lieves that tie passage Of this bill would
put the uses IT water power completely
4 In the hands of the big water-power in
1 terests. and 1t would give them precise
! ly what they wanted and had sought in
vain in the last Congress and admins
\ tration" This measure is still pending.
| A bill that passed in the face OF the
/ opposition of the association was one pro-
viding that in approving plans for dams
! the War Department must consider the
/ systematic development Of the river for
navigation. and require the general plan
| 10 conform thereto In this measure IL
! censes for the building of dams in
/ streams over which the government has
I jurisdiction are limited to fifty years.
Mr.. Pinchot declares. however, that
the principle of compensation to the
/ people Is recognized in so restricted a
/ form as TO be in substance nullifed."
/ Mr.. Pinchot concludes his statement as
/ follows:
/ 1T is unfortunate that the Interior De-
! partment has absolutely refused TO ap-
prove right-of-way for municipal water
supply. irrigation, and water power
wherever the lands affected are believed
/ to be valable for water power. This pol
| icy has continued for year.
1T amounts to the absolute stoppage Of
water power development throughout the
arid West, and has done much to create
the totally false conception Of conserva-
/ ton in that region"