The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1911-10-07
GIVE PUBLIC
LANDS TO STATE
LANDS CONVENTION PASSES RES
oLUTioN URGING DISPOSE
TiON OF DOMAIN.
STATES INTERESTED
VOICES RAISED IN DEFENSE OF
BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE
CONTROL OF LANDS.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Denver-The Public Lands conven
ton adopted resolutions urging that
the public domain. as its name implies.
be as speedily as possible disposed OF
to private parties on reasonable terms
or turned over to the states.
Numbers OF delegates who had not
appeared before at the convention,
were present on the last day to vote
down the supporters OF government
control OF public lands and resources.
Voices were raised in defense Of the
federal administration and arguments
made to show that the lands. their
mineral deposits and forests were saf-
er in the hands of the government
than II turned over to state polit-
clans for distribution.
States Fighters Dominate.
The states Fighters, who want the
government land and it's undeveloped
resources given to the states. were SUE
cessful in carrying out the program
that they had arranged before the CON
vention was called. They were in the
majority and dominated the sessions.
Delegates from eleven states attend
ed the convention. Each state was
given a vote for each million acres OF
public domain within its boundaries
and five delegates at large. Thus
Colorado was entitled TO forty-one vot-
ing delegates. Many representatives
sent by commercial bodies in various
towns throughout the state. attended
one or two sessions. Some went home
disgusted at what they termed lack
of fair play"
An attendance of more than 1000
had been expected. but about seventy
delegates took part in the debates
during the last three days. Charges
were made that the states Fighters
had put no speakers on the program
but those of their opinion, and would
not allow government supporters
chance to be heard on the floor of the
convention.
These charges and the intense dis
satisfaction OF many delegates caused
a sensation.
Henry NJ. Teller, former United
States Senator, saw the peril which
the convention was facing. He called
upon all to be fair. He said he didn't
think it mattered much what the con-
vention did as long as it gave every
one fair treatment. He warned those
present that If delegates left dissatis-
fled with methods employed more
harm would be done the public lands
be hoped for.
The final vote taken on the report
of the resolutions committee was 80
lila to 80 3-14. The fractions were
due to the necessity of splitting the
votes of delegation to fit its appor-
tionment under the rule.
Adams and Bonynge Speak.
Robert Fullerton of Des Moines read
an interesting paper on Our Forest
Resources, Consumption and Annual
Growth"
Former Governor Alva Adams and
Robert Bonynge, congressman, were
present. Both made emphatic speeches
on behalf of state control OF public
lands.
1he members Oh d pefHdHeHt Soih
mittee appointed to carry on the work
begun by the convention on behalf OF
the development of public lands are
Arizona, A. J. Sampson: California,
E. A. Lane: Colorado, J. Arthur Ed
dy; Idaho, George A. Day; Nevada, ].
T. Mcclellan; New Mexico, l.. Brad
ford Prince; Oklahoma, T. S. Paris;
Utah, J. w. Musser; Wyoming, p. Sui
livan; North Dakota, S. II. Lee. They
met in the Audi
torium.
The time and place of the next con-
vention was discussed, and it was de-
cided to leave these matters to the
committee, on the theory that it would
be best to let cities bid for the con-
vention.