Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-07-06
PUBLIC LANDS CONVENTION.

PUBLIC LANDS CONVENTION.
Denver, Colo, Sept. 2S, 20, 80, 1911.
Call by the Governor of Colorado
In compliance with a resolution of
the Eighteenth General Assembly of
the State of Colorado, !, John +.
Shafroth governor of said common.
wealth, announce to the people Of
those western states and territories
having one million or more acres OF
public lands-reseryed and unre-
served-within their borders'-a pub
lie lands convention to be held in
the city of Denver, Colorado, Septem-
Der 28, 20 and 80 of this year, for
the purpose of discussing all ques.
tions, and taking such action as their
wisdom may direct, relative to the
proper administration of the public
domain, the natural resources per-
tanning thereto, and the practical con-
servation thereof under state author
ity and of protesting against congress
enacting laws providing for the leas-
ing of the natural resources of the
West.
The following states and territories
are embraced within the call, viz:
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colo
rado Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Ne
braska, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Da-
kota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
and Alaska.
Inasmuch as the province of the
convention is for western people to
determine upon questions pertaining
to the interests of western states as
affected by federal systems, it is
made requisite for qualification that
delegates shall have been resident
taxpayers and voters within their
respective states for the preceding
three years.
The governor, senators and con-
gressmen, and members of the state
legislature of each state and terri
tory, and delegate of each territory
and of Alaska are hereby commits
stoned as delegates.
Each governor may appoint thirty
delegates. The mayor of each city
may appoint one delegate for each
1000 of population, but not to exceed
a total of fifty. Each chamber OF
commerce, board of trade, real estate
exchange or other commercial bodies;
each board of county commissioners;
each association of stock growers, of
of forestry, of irrigation;
each horticultural or agricultural or
ganization-may appoint ten dele
gates
Each governor is requested to ap-
point a state executive committee of
five, to cooperate with the Colorado
executive committee - j. Arthur
Eddy, chairman, Denver, Colorado
The real issue is, plainly and dis
tinctly, whether the public domain
other than the little remaining farm
ing lands-shall be held in perpetuity
by the national government free from
taxation by the states, to be admin
istered through leasehold for revenue
for the federal treasury and under
bureaus at the national capitol.
A rental or lease based upon the
output of natural resources is a tax
upon production, and tax upon
production is invariably paid by the
consumer. Such policy would com.
pei the western states to bear an
undue proportion of the burdens of
the national government. No other
states have ever been compelled to
pay royalties upon their natural prod
ucts, why should we? Our wealth
must consist, very largely in those
very features, the tax revenue from
which is so essential to the main
tenance of state government Even
the raw land itself is withdrawn
from state taxation
These are the conditions which con-
front us. 1t rests entirely with the
people of the West whether they will
acuuiesce in this proposed new order
Of things.
The President is our authority
through the medium of his message +
1f December 6, 1910, that these are
not questions pertaining to partisan
politics. Hence, those of all political
'aiths can unite on common ground
'or the defense of the West. This
is designed as an instru'
nent through which the will of the
people of the public land states can
De expressed.
With cordial urgency, I respectful
V press this invitation upon those OF
he states which are included in the
oregoing list and apportionment.
Given under my hand and the Ex-
,o,,4;,,o Cool tbic Doth daV of June. n