The Washington times., 1910-01-16
Public Lands Committee
Chairman Declines TO In
trOduce Measures.
PRINCIPLES WRONG.
is ONE OBJECTION
Proposed Legislation Bearing Tafts
Approval ArouseS Sarcastic-and
Ridiculing Comment.

Opposition has developed already
in the Public Lands Committee Of
| the House 10 the six conservation
bills written by Secretary OF the In
terror BallingeT and recommended
TO Congress by the President in his
conservation message. Some of the
members Of the committee are out
spoken in opposition and condemn
the bills as impractical
Thus far, It has not been de-
ternined who viii introduce the bills
in the House. A number Of mem
bers interested in public land mat
tiers have indicated their unwilling
mess to do 50. The only one of the
6allinger measures thus far present.
cd N the House IS for the s3O.OOO-
600 bond issue for the Reclamation
Service. Representative Reeder Of
Kansas has introduced this.
MANN WORKS HARD
Meanwhile Representative Mann
chairman Of the Committee on In
terstate Commerce, is working his
water power bills {rto shane and
hopes 70 report them 70 the House
early in March.
I1s story Of the BaIIipEsr bills
revsZ-s a row between Representa-
tive MondeII anG the Admfnistr-s-
ton, and It was learned today that
some very unpleasant things had
been said over the telephone line
between the Offices Of Secretary
Ballinger and Mr.. 4IcndeL-
Mondeu Declines.
When the bills. upon which BaIinEer
had put so much work. were sent 70
the House with the Presidents conzer-
walton message. they were referred to
the Committee on Public Lands. Nm
6eH looked them over and decided that
he could not father them, and 50 had
them written out or appropriate sta
tiona-y with the legend M zron6au
Cby request Of the Secretary OF the IN
teriOr) introduced the following blI'.
Then he rang ID Secretary BaIIfnzsr
and told him that he could not easY 81
the bills. but wouId INTRODUCES them NV
request"
What BaiHnSer said is not recorded.
but shortly afterward a telephone r7oz-
sage from the White House called Mon
dell from his seat and the President Iet
him know that ne would be highly dis
pleased II such a thing were done And
80 the bills are stiU lying around.
The next ranking mem Der on the com
mittee, Representative Eolstead. vas
next approached and ne refused Repre-
sentative Pray also refused and Repre-
sentative Smith, the third man, shook
his head
mo man can write a bill for me-
explained Representative NIoudeI today.
And I am against these bills. 50 I
cannot father them ! would have IN
troduced them by request. but that was
not wanted So I don't know what vii
be done about them
Against Their Principle.
''T am against the principle OF most
Of the bills and where L favor the prin-
ciple, ] am against the language OF the
bills and the methods they use to carry
out their ideas Why, some Of the bills
are childish Tt IS assumed that we have
been sitting here these many years and
doing nothing about the laws We have
kept them up 10 date and every law
on the statute books Is excellent"
There are six Of the BaIlinger bills.
one providing for a classification Of the
public lands; a coal land leasing bill, a
bill legaliZing Withdrawals and author
IZinE further Withdrawals Of public
lands By the Executive a water poEEsr
site bill; bin for the disposal OF OF,
phosphate, natural gas, and ssphaltum
lands and bill for the sale Of tim
Der on isolated tracts CT Government
,ands-
CIaS- -IfiCaTiOu OF public lands declared
ATcndeII- For any man 70 attempt In
saw that this land Is suitable for lrriga-
ton and that land is unsuitable, and
To make this classification for all time
IS insane Who can say that lands not
TOW susceptible Of irrlgatlon might not
be irrigated some day2
Il am against the principle OF allow
ing the Executive to suspend the oper-
alton of the land laws by vithdra.vins
land from entry suppose InaL Lns
President should decide, after the muck
rakers got busy that the duty on sugar
was not low enough Would Il be sens
ible for bIn TO suspend the J2Eln law
until Congress could enact one 70 his
likinE2 Yet that is what IS proposed IN
this proposition to allow him 70 with
draw al laIlQS Del0AAi6 lt5Ao-d-NA-tA- SUI
rose Congress refuses TO act and SAYS
that existing laws are good enough
What then2 VIII these lands be per
manently withdrawn I suppose so
We have sat here and allowed the
executive 10 IecisIate for Us before, and
I suppose We viii in the future.
Opposed TO Leases
II am against the leasing OF coaI
lands. but even II favored II I could
dIaT a bill OF two pages and would not