The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-14
PUBLIC LANDS NOW
VEX|NG COMMITTEE
Problem to HarmOnize Laws
Relating to Conservation
Is Difficult.
BALLINGER-PINCH0T CASE
Is TEACHING LESSON
Evidence Shows the Various De-
partments of Service Not
in Harmony.

WASHINGTON, March 13.-Senators
from public land states who were ap-
pointed a special committee TO prepare
conservation bills that would harmonic
the laws, are finding their task far from
easy.
A number of bills are before the com
mittee, but it is giving its attention
principally TO the measure known rs the
classification bill. The committee Is
composed of Senators Smoot of Utah,
Clark II Wyoming aud Dixon of Mon
tana, Republicans, and Hughes of ;olo-
RADIO and Chamberlain Of Oregon, Dem
ocrats.
\ majority of them are favorable TO
the general theory Of conservation. Sen
ators Clark and Hughes. however. are
antagoDIstIc TO the proposed change OF
the public land policy.
The testimony before the Ballinger-
Pinchot committee has disclosed that
the general land office. the forest scrv-
ice, the reclamation service and the geo
logical survey are not operating III sym
pathy and this makes work OF the com
mittee more difficult. 1t is their opinion
that ii the classification and the with
! drawal bill can be passed, the way Will
be easy for other measures, which look
to the disposal of the lands under the
classification bill,
Lack of Agreement.
The principal obstacles in the way TO
an agreement on the classification bill
are found in the provisions relating to
on lands and water power sites. This
bill authorizes the secretary of the in
terror 10 classify all the public lands.
Many contend Tynn1H hn
impossible to classify oil lands In ad-
vance and senators who hold this view
are making trouble for the committee.
The committee itself appreciates this
difficulty, and there is a tendency to-
wards a provision 10" the leasing rather
than the sale OF lands supposed TO cover
oil deposits, If the bill should be
! framed with this idea any person could
lease q tract of land and put down his
well and ii successful in finding oil
could then acquire the land under the
mining laws.
The subject of water power sites has
been the basis of many conferences.
with the executive branch Of the gov.
emment rs well. A. the states control
the streams. II Is recognized a. difficult
for the government TO continue its SUI
pervision of the lands Immediately bor-
dering tine streams, as power sites neces.
sarlY must. On tbls account the son.
ate seems fayorably disposed toward
the grant of the power sites to the sew
eral states and IL is believed that the
administration NAV be induced to con
sent TO this disposition of them If suf
hclent restrictions are provided
Withdrawal Problem
The withdrawal bill is giving the COM
mIttec almost as much concern as the
classification bill Notwithstanding il IS
now on the senate calendar. Favorable
action on that measure is really ncccs-
SarY before the classification law couid
be carried into effect. Its language is
so broad that it authorizes the president
10 Withdraw practically all the public
land at his discretion The measure
specifies the purpose for which tho lands
may be reserved rs " forestry. water
power sites, irrigation classification of
lands OF other public purposes There
viii be no effort to pass this bill uulil
the terms of the classification bin are
agreed Ia and The two bills probably
VIII lac considered cousccutivcly.