Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-09-13
MEETING WILL
ATTRACT MANY
Questions to be Decided at
the public lands conven-
ton at Denver Are of
Interest to the Entire
West.

DENVER, Colo. Sept. 12.-That the
time has come when all people Of the
West should know and understand
thoroughly the policy Of the federal
government with respect TO cOnserV-
ing the public domain in the western
states, is the opinion of the men who
are pushing the movement for the
public lands convention, which will be
held in Denver September 2S to Octo-
Der 3 inclusive.
Bills are pending In congress, which
in the opinion Of many. would be mi
mical to the best interests of the peo
pie of the Western states should they
become law. The argument is ad
vanced that this legislation, if adopted
by congress. would create a bureau
cracv in Washington that would en-
croach upon the constitutional pro-
vision for the rights of the states and
that ii would be unfair to the states
of the West for the reason that il
would exact toll from the public do
main of this section for the benefit of
the federal treasury which the older
states were never forced to pay.
ne BlllS WHICH nave dlbuStA az nun
are three senate bills providing for
federal control of lands which may be
come valuable for the development Of
water powers. coal lands and oil lands.
The Objectionable feature Of these
bills as cited by those who are op-
posed to their passage, places in the
hands of the secretary Of the interior
what they term absolute powers"
For instance, in the coal lands bill,
section saws:
That no permit, license or lease
shall issue until the applicant therefor
has entered into bond in such amount
as the secretary of the interior may
prescribe"
1t is pointed out that all three bills
contain such provisions which read.
"As the Secretary of the Interior may
designate; as the Secretary of the In
terror may prescribe; under such con-
ditions as, in his opinion, will safe
guard the public interests"
"The people of the West are facing
n condition which is of more vital i'm
portance to their future than any other
public question under consideration at
the present time" said J. Arthur Ed
DIV, chairman of the executive commit
tee for Colorado, yesterday. The
Pttslic- Lands Convention was called
for the purpose of giving the entire |
subject an airing so thorough that |
there can remain no doubt in the minds |
of the most humble citizen in the mat
ter. If the people of the West are in
favor Of federal control such as the
government is practicing and contem-
plates. the people should so express
themselves. If the majority want a
more modified federal control, or want
conservation under state supervision.
1t is also within their province to so
state. At all events, what is desired is
a representative gathering of all the
interests of the whole people Of the
West at the convention, and there the
matter can be threshed out and such
publicity given to both sides of the
subject that all viii be informed.
President Taft says. The question OF
is not a partisan one
Names of delegates are being re-
ceived daily at the headquarters in the
chamber of commerce building and the
indications are that every state viii
be represented. -. a. E