New-York tribune., 1910-03-07
THE EDAyINWASHINGTON

| followed. There is no coed end served by
| Withholding from entry lands which do not
| contain the resources for which they were
| withdrawn. On the other hand, much harm
! is done, because such a course arouses
great antaSonism toward the conservation
| policy, antagonism on the part of the would
| be settlers and on the part of those who
are anxious that an increased population
| In the vicinities shall make possible better
roads, better schools. better improvements
generally, and shall relieve the burden OF
taxation on the pioneers.
OIL LANDS.-The total area withdrawn
from all forms of entry and location TO
conserve natural deposits OF petroleum
now aggregates 3.4S7G00 acres. and this de-
spite the fact that it has been necessary
to restore the entry O. nearly 100000 acres
| in California which we're found on exam
nation 10 contain no oil. New withdraw
ais TO conserve oil have amounted during
The year TO 2.1So,5lo acres. When the bit
terness engendered by factionaI disputation
and controversy shall have passed away
it will be found by every sincere friend OF
the conservation policy that it has never
halted during the Taft administration, but,
on the contrary, that ii has been steadily
and sincerely prosecuted, with the result
that every acre of public domain valuable
for the resources which under that policy
II Is desired to conserve has been effective
~ prevented from pa ssinS into private own
ership; in a word. that the policy of con-
servation has been logically and sincerely
promoted to the full extent possible to any
administration.
CONSERVATION LAWS.-It has been
said that Congress will not pass the con
serVation laws urged by President Taft
Whether it will or not remains to he seen,
although the leaders have pledged them
selves TO enact the fundamental law author
izing the Executive to withdraw from entry
and location all lands his discretion might
dicta te. and to so hold them until Congress
shall have passed specific legislation pro-
viding for their proper disposal. President
Taft will exert every energy TO secure the
passage of that law. But even if he fails,
these lands will not be restored % entry. be-
cause he will hold that with legislation
pending he is not required to do So. Some
Of the opponents of conservation have de-
clared that, difficult will it be for them
10 agree 10 specific legislation, they are un-
willing TO enact the comprehensive law
which will lie up these lands for an indef-
mite time. But they will find that the
lands are already tied up, pending the pas
sage of specific legislation, and that refusal
on their part TO grapple with the problem
will accomplish nothing other than to bring
discredit on themselves.
Mr.. TAFTS TRIUMPH.-The massage in
the Senate yesterday of the postal savings
bank bill by a solid Republican vote con-
Sututed signal triumph for the President.
as VIII be realized by those who recall the
numerous assertions that Senator Aldrich
ohd the other leaders were deceivjns Mr..
an and who predicted that the Republican
leader would never permit the measure to
pass The agricultural appropra ton bill is
waiting its turn on the calendar and will
probably be next considered. but. that dis
posed of, the administration Interstate
commerce bill will be taken up and pa ssed
without any amendments which detrsct
from It's usefulness. Moreover. the ver,
senators who were only a short time on
asserting that the case of statehood was
hopeless are now predicting that the bill will
be favorahy reported and become q Law.
1t has already been passed bv the House
and requires only the vote of the Senate
and the approval of the President The
rouse VIII pass the anti-injunction bill. ac-
cordlns TO the predictions of the leaders
ana so VIII the Ser4te, and, with the CON
serYation bill referred to, the Taft legis-
iauVe programme will be complete News
paper predictions are easily forgotten. but
NOSE VINO recall the emphatic declarations
that the Presidents legislative programme
was doomed to defeat that he was the |
oupe of Aldrch and Cannon. and much |
more to the same effect mill -.
realize the extent of Mr. Taft,s tri,,,,,.,
but will, possibly, recall how cxtensi,,eI,, |
some persons have had to revise ,beir
opinions - -