The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-02-18

SihlltLn 1piiBttSs, anu III April lJUot Jhe
committee on judiciary decided that they
were unconstitutional, ruling that the
federal government has no power TO ac-
quire lands within state. solely for
forest reserves If the bills were for
the conservation and improvement of
the navigability Of a river, the commit
tee said, they would be- constitutional.
bill modified to conform with this
was passed by the Senate, but the House
passed different bill, which was pigeon
holed in the Senate.
II was in January, 1909, that the
present Weeks bill was reported to the
land governors, press and public con
centrated their energies. II was at this
time that the newly organized Boston
Merchants association (since consolidate
ed with the chamber OF commerce), be-
gan to take active part, and since then
until to-day ii has been the real leader
OF the magnificent campaign.
The business men Of Boston, realiz-
ing that they represented all New Eng
land, did not content themselves with
simply passing resolutions. Their first
move was to line up the other CONNER
cial organizations in all six states.
These bodies in turn were asked not
simply to pass resolutions, but to get
to work. And they did. Their mem
bers, being the leading business men of
all parts of the section, were of course
the NEST influential constituents OF the
congressman and senators, and letters
and kilograms began to pour into Wash
ington. Representatives answered that
they would vote for the bill" Letters.
we're flung back saying you must not
simply vote for IL; YOU must get out
and persuade others to vote for it,"
Then, led by Boston, these CONNER
cial bodies invaded other parts Of the
country They interested commercial or
CARNATIONS IN large cities throughout
the West, building up a sentiment for
the measure. The newspapers were Civ
en- material which they We're glad to
print in support Of the bill Commit
tees went to Washington. As a result
OF this work, eliminating in food OF
kilograms on the day the bill came TO
vote, ii was passed in the House, but
only on the evening Of the day before
adjournment. II was too late to be
considered in the Senate, and died nat
ural death, but the campaign had served
to build mp a great sentiment which
was effective in the next Congress. when
the bill was again introduced The Bos
ton chamber Of commerce renewed its
campaign, and sent Prof George r.
Swain as an expert to Washington to
argue before the House committee on
agriculture the necessity of forests in
regulating streamhow, On June "a,
1910, the bill passed the House, but not
until brilliant debate had lasted until
midnight. Meanwhile. The bill was bat
tered about in the Senate for three days,
and determined flibuster was inau
purated by Senator Burton and others
from the West. At last it became evil
dent that the bill could not be passed,
il being the last day of the session, and
finally Senator Brandeges obtained
unanimous consent to vote on the bill
February Is. 1911.
Ever since then the campaign has gone
on quietly and effectively. few weeks
ago, at the request of the Boston cham
Der of commerce, Senator Crane made a
poll of the Senate which showed that
the result would probably be favorable.
The climax came in the work Of the
Boston chamber of commerce with COM
mercial organizations throughout the
and before the bill came to
vote this body had obtained assurance
from nearly sixty leading cities all |
through the nation, even to the Pacific !
coast, that they would ask their SEN
ators to vote for the bill. 1t is gem
orally believed that this was the crown
ing effort, and the Boston chamber is
receiving congratulations right and left |
for its effective leadership of the final |
after the bill had failed so
many times.