The Washington times., 1913-01-02

the remaining pubic lands or the nation
to the various States in which they are.
and to take the National Government
out Of the land business. is giving great
concern to conservationists throughout
the country.
counter campaign in opposition TO
this radical move Is being formed. and
1t is expected that the first issue will
be made up within a few days. when
the House Ways and Means Committee
will choose a new chairman for the
Public Lands Committee.
Almost inestimabie wealth. running
into the hundreds of millions. and be-
yond them into the billions, Is involved
In this gigantic program. The project
Is big and bold enough fairly to take
among the conservation forces that
there Is. right now. grave danger Of the
plan succeeding unless President-elect
Wilson shall set his face against the
scheme.
For years past, whenever the diff
cult question Of Government lands
coal, oil, forest, phosphate, asphalt,
water power, grazing, mineral, and all
the rest-have been before Congress,
there have been more and more insist
ent suggestions that the Government
turn these lands over to the States and
let them administer them as they please.
Reaches Into Billions.
This proposal now gives promise Of
becoming the most important before the
Congress in the next few years. No
man is willing to attempt to fix val
uation Of the public domain. That It
reaches into billions is declared by Of
ficials best acquainted with conditions
to be conservative statement.
Conservation authorities protest that,
lands would become the prey Of graft
ers and special interests of all sorts.
Not only would the State legislatures
suddenly become the final authorities,
but 1t Is pointed out that. with such
a vast series of prizes hung up, the
business of buying, managing and
manipulating legislatures would become
Immediately a chief industry through
out the public land West.
But, serious as this condition Is es-
teemed by the conservation authorities,
they believe there is imminent danger
Of the project carrying. II is pointed out
that while the Federal Governments
management Of public lands has been
on the whole thoroughly bad, the States
that have had control OF their own
lands have done worse.
New Hampshire many years ago, for
example. managed to get rid Of its pub
lie lands without getting any benefits
worth while. They were denuded Of
their forests, and In recent time New
Hampshire has been appealing to Con-
gress to help buy back enough Of them
to protect her watersheds and restore
some part of her forests.
In the face of that experience, Senator
Gallinger Of New Hampshire, last year,
In the Senate, referring to the proposal
to turn the Western public lands over
to the States. expressed the confident
fnfn f1a& x1,A ,kr lr-,xx fHa
Wesern Safes could agree upon a plan.
New England would unite with them
to put IL into effect.
New Hampshire's experience In dis
sipation of its public domain is parallel
ed in one form or another by that OF
about every other State that has had
control of its public lands. Michigan
had its wonderful white pine forests;
and when she was admitted to the
Union. the Federal Government gave
these public lands to the new Common
wealth. They were dissipated with no
return, and now the forests
are fast nearing extinction. Wisconsin
had a similar experience
In more recent time the Government
has not pursued the policy of giving
the States their public lands. but has
them as national assets
The whole question of whether the
ands were properly administered or i'm
nand serious attention only in COM
oaratvely recent years.
Importance Is Noted.
Now, to return to the program OF |
state ownership, and to have Uncle |
Sam step entirely from under all re-
sponsibility, just at an epoch when |
rational interest has been aroused, and |
he realization of the national character |
II this issue has been impressed on !
he country would. In the opinion of the |
advocates. be a fearfully |
Unfortunate step backward.
Yet the danger Is declared more /
serious than might at first be supposed. |
rhe old Democratic doctrine of State !
constitutes an ample argu- |
nent In favor of state ownership and I
control, SO Tar as concerns many OF 1
he Southern Democrats, who are /
Known to be In favor of the plan. In |
he far West. where the public lands |
ire, the sentiment of the powerful in :
erests. naturally enough, Is very luarge- !
v favorable to State ownership
1t sounds well, II suggests addition of |
,ast wealth to the resources of the ,
states. and 1t is looked upon as opening
he door to that quick development and
settlement which every Western State |
,ovets.
Therefore, there is fear that a combi- |
lation of East South. and West may |
'e strong enough to put through this !
measure. 1t is noted by |
opponents who are now feverishly |
Ictive organizing to prevent such !
thin happening, that the va
ious interests that have always been
most active in seeking public lands and
he right to exploit them-such as the |
yater-power combination, most of the |
zig lumber groups, the mining and
mineral interests. the oil interests, the !
heep barOns of the grazing country-
hese are found to be strongly arrayed |
n favor of getting the lands into the |
lands OF the states Just as soon as pos
ible.
They think, so the conservationists
rotest, that 1t will be a lot easier to