The Washington times., 1913-01-02
CONTEST OPENED
ON LAND SCHEME
Plan to Gust Uncle Sam rom Control of Public Do
mains Being Formed, and Chairmanshp Will
Be One of the Issues.
By JUDsoN C. wELLIvER.

handle the States than In recent time,
IL has been to handle the National Gov
ernment. The Roosevelt conservation
doctrines have come to be so popular
get away with big swags from the pub
lie domain. 1t used to be easy. The
last effort at a general looting OF the
pubic domain was planned to be made
under the Ballinger regime at the In
terror Department, but failed because
Of the publicity 1t attracted. Now the
plan Of State ownership Is to be made
the basis for one more assault
Conservation interests are losing no
time arraying for the fight. They be-
for the House Public Lands COMMITTEES
will be Of the greatest importance, as
an index OF the disposition OF the House.
The chairman has been Joseph 7. Roc
inson, Of Arkansas; but, having been
he has resigned and leaves Congress-
The next man on the committee, by
seniority, Is James NJ. Graham, OF liIf-
nois. The third Is Scott Ferris. OF Ok
lahoma
Here comes the rub. Graham wants
the chairmanship, and is, under the
seniority rule, entitled to 1t. But he
has been q conservatfonist. His trecord
Is generally Satisfactory to the conserv-
alton organisations and leaders He has
made much study Of Alaska, of Indian
and other land problems, and 10 by no
means regarded as likely to favor the
cession Of the public land empire to the
States. -
So Graham doesn't look good to the
people who are planning the land grab,
as II IL already being dubbed. Ferris
does look good to them. He comes from
a public land State; his votes on con-
servation subjects, and his record In
general, have commended him to the
people who don't fancy the present adj
- 3 - it, A~xx, atxr- axz<l
as a result there Is a sharp contest be-
tween Graham and Ferris for the chair
manship.
The Ways and Means Committee Will
meet Saturday evening to take up the
questionsof filing committee vacancies,
and this public lands question comes at
the top In general interest. 1t Is said
that, despite his prior claim by reason
of being second on the committee, Gra-
ham is in danger Of being beaten, SIM
ply because Of his well-known SYM
pathy with and interest in the general
program. A man who has
been following the contest over this
today predicted that Fer
ris would be made chairman, and that
he would be supported, in the Ways and
Means meeting. by Congressman I'm
derwood, Randell. Brantley. Shackle-
ford. Kitchin. Dixon. Hull. and Ham
Those who are expected to support
Graham are Congressman Harrison
James, Rainey, Peters and Palmer
five.
II the plan for Ferris selection goes
through there will next be a night |
against IL In the House Democratic |
caucus next Wednesday night; but II |
Is almost conceded that selection BY |
the Ways and Means Committee win |
insure election in the caucus and the |
House.
Progressive Republicans and those |
Democrats who are opposed to the |
State ownership program are getting |
very active about the matter. 1t de- !
velops that William Jennings Bryan I
mas recently gone on record with vfgor !
as opposed to the cession of the lands /
10 the States, and this gives color to I
he theory Of the conservationists, that /
Mr.. Wilson will likewise oppose 1t.