The San Francisco call., 1910-07-19
WITHDRAWAL A
FARCE BY Law,
SAYS PlNCHOT
Deposed Chief Forester Says the
Power Sites May Be Grabbed
Under Mining Pretext
Government Has Taken Away
With Left Hand and Given
Back With Right
Continued From Page 1

Continued From rage
campaign, he was ready to talk. On the
subject of the withdra wal bill he was
loaded. This is the measure enacted
by the last congress empowering the
president to withdraw lands for water
over sites, irrigation, classification of
lands Or other public purposes. 1t
provided further:
That all lands withdrawn under the
provisions of this act shall at all times
be open to exploration. discovery and
occupation and purchase under the MIN
ing laws of the United States, so far
as the same apply to minerals other
than coal, oil, gas and phosphates
TAKEN UP BY PRETENsE
There is joker in this withdrawal
bill" said Pinchot 1T provides for
the withdrawal of public lands as
power sites, but leaves them open to
mineral location. They may be taken
up under the pretense of mining claims
and then used as power sites. What
the government takes away from the
hand it gives back with the right.
The water power sites withdrawn
by President Taft embrace l,41o,499
acres, of which 47,S19 acres lie In can
fornia. These include strips along
those rivers where the potential
hydro electric facilities exist.
Under the law, as 1t passed, re-
sumed Pinchot, "the water power mo
nopoly can enter these lands and oe-
tain patents under the assumption that
they are mineral claims. After they
have the patent to the land they can
go ahead and utilize the power sites
We opposed this feature of the Dill
when it was under consideration. w
proposed either that the lands should
not be open to mineral location or thd'
there should be special clause In the
bill reserving the power sites 10 the
government AS it is, however, the
government has set up the machinery
for claims which it will be called upon
to resist"
Shortly before his departure for the
west Pinchot conferred with Colonel
Roosevelt at Oyster Bay. Naturally
the impression was widespread that he
had come to California at the behest
of the former president.
DO you come to California as the
representative of Roosevelt" Pinchot
was asked.
Clearly, he had expected the question
The palm of his left hand was extended
before the question had been framed
Mr.. Roosevelt can speak for him.
self" he answered. 81 come represent
ing only myself. 1 shall speak fol
Hiram Johnson for governor because
he represents the opposition to the
Southern Pacific railroad-the evil in
f1uence in the government of your state
l. ole for
congress because he is my friend. be-
cause he stands against the special in
terests and. because he is an inSurgent.
To Pinchot conversation represents
more than the proper utilization oi
streams and forests. 1t means unre-
lenting opposition to special privilege
The great preliminary work Of the
conservation movement has been ac-
complished in asmuch as the people
have become convinced of its wisdom,
said he. THE only opposition now
comes from those who hav a pecuniary
interest in that opposition By that
mean those who suffer financial loss
through the operation of conservation
such as the water power monopoly.
Insurgency" said Pinchot, has
gained the support of the rank and file
of the republican party. 1t aims to
take the government from the. hands OF
the special interests and restore 1t tc
the people. The immediate intention OF
the insurgents is to take from office the
representative of these special inter
ests and to replace them with men who
represent the people. The people recog-
nize those who wear the collar. The
marks are visible on their necks."
Pinchot will speak this evening fol-
Hiram Johnson at the Central theater
at Eighth and Market streets He will
make four speeches for Kent in the
second congressional district. He will
then return eastward to devote himself
to his chosen work. AS president of the
national conservation association he
will labor for the association In the in
terests of the conservation OF the nat
,1raI reSourceS of the nation.