The Parker post., 1913-05-03
PUBLIC LAND
RESERVATIONS
ARE RUINOUS TO STATES DE-
CLARES SEN. MARK A. SMITH.
Foua.FlFrhs OF AVAILABLE
LANDS OF ARIZONA RESERVED.

In a recent speech Senator Marcus
A. Smith, discussing bill providing
for the building of dam in Connect
cut for the purpose OF creating power
for AN electric plant, took occasion
to inform the United States senate
as we'll as the whole country OF the
ruinous policy which the federal gov
ernment has adopted in handling its
public land, and the consequent in
justice done public land states, espec'
tally Arizona.
Senator Smith questioned the right
OF federal control over water power
sites on streams owned by the state
and turning the enforced proceeds a.
way from the states and into the
national treasury. ANY attempted
interference by the federal govern
ment is attempted usurpation; any
actual control is usurpation," declar-
ed the senator.
where does the Federal Govern
ment find its charter to reserve
power sites on non-navigable str,
cams in the public land States? Az
l have shown, these waters belong
to the States and can be used by the
State for State purposes. The State
has the right to fix such charges a.
it sees fit on the public carrier OF
electric power and fix what rate such
carrier shall deliver it to the con-
sumner. The cost of the enterprise,
together with a reasonable profit on
the business. is, OF course paid al
last by the consumer. What right, ]
ask, has Massachusetts, Connecticut.
or Virginia, or all the States COM
bined. to lay any burden on the con-
sumers of electric power generated
by water owned by Arizona? Any
money obtainable from such a source
for the right to generate the poWel
belongs to the treasury of Arizona
alone.
1.-The great irrigation enterprises OF
the Government stand on q different
footing, for in those cases the Gov
ernment advances the money and re
quires its repayment by the people
using the water. and let us here
pause long enough to express the
hope that no more will be required
of the water users; than the neces
ysary cost of the various enterprises.
Ruinous Reservations.
. MIR. President, while it may not be
.germane to the question now before
us, trust the Senate will bear with
me yet little longer, in view OF the
very great Importance of the matters
Ito the public-land' States-which
desire to call to legislative attention.
And that is the enormous. ruinOus
reservations that have been made of
the public lands in the Western
States. Under mistaken idea that
the States are dangerous, and under
the equal delusion that the Federal
Government Is safe, Congress- has by
statute turned over ito Executive ex-
pertinent almost every resource that
the public-land States relied ON for
growth, progress and prosperity.
Speaking for Arizona. they have
taken up half our State in reserva-
tions of different kinds, and in that
half four -fifths of the available lands
of the State are included In other
words, they have left to the Staate
less than One-fifth-yes, in fact, less
than one-tenth-of its valuable lands
for any purpose of use or revenue.
These reservations are conducted or
managed-or miSmanaged- at tre-
mendous loss to the National Treas
ury, and with ruinous effect on the
State And yet the Eastern public
has learned to call it conservation
If this sort of conservation continues
long enough it will depopulate the
State and bankrupt the Federal
Treasury.
THE popular conception of conser-
walton, with which l fully agree, is
that it permits the wise use and pre-
vents the Willful waste of the natural
resources still found on the public
domain. Conservation has been,
however, intrusted to a bureau of the
Agricultural Department which, hay
ing had no proper reproof, has grown
arrogant and wasteful.
"Unpardonable Waste"
Every State has,' and always has
had, about all it can do to support
properly State governments mani
fold demands on the resources of the
State. Its internal obligations many