The Washington times., 1913-11-21

during the last ten years. l want to
ask Mr.. Pinchot if there was ever any
question as to my stand on conserva-
tom"
There is a strong question in my
mind" replied Mr.. Pinchot, ''as to your
stard on monopoly"
Congressman Burnett of Alabama,
wanted TO know if ''Pinchot's forest fire
brigade was present.
Another voice contributed the infor-
nation that the brigade was not pres
ent, but plenty of corporation lawyers
were.
Shouts that the convention should ad-
journ were then heard. The chairman
brushed aside the motions and insisted
that the roll call Of States begin on
ment increased, but Mr.. Pinchot's s
former associates in the forestry serv-
ice rallied to his support and after
drowning the adjournment advocates,
carried the PinChot amendment oy a
vote of 317 1-3 to Sc 2-3. Many delegates,
warfare over the amendment, left the
convention hall
Following adjournment, Mr.. Pinchot
made this statement: Now that the
fight is over, all the friends of conser-
vation should be glad of the victory for
necessity, and should get squarely be-
hind the movement to open the water
powers to full development without de-
lay, and on terms fair to the power in
terests as well as to the public. We
took a real step forward in conserva-
ton this afternoon
Colonel Walkers Statement.
The statement of Col. Powell Walker,
of the Arkansas delegation, which had
seeded from the congress. follows:
II have been delegated by the repre-
sentatives of twenty-three States Of the
Middle West, West, and South. to call a
separate convention, which will take up
only the subject of water power and ir-
rigation. 1t will be composed of practi-
cal men, not of Government officials
and former Cabinet officers, and Will
try to come to some definite conclusion
on the subject OF conservation, from
the practical and not the theoretical
standpoint. This convention will be
held in about a month, and States from
Maine to California will be represented.
It will probably be held in Washington,
though it might possibly be held in St.
Louis.
The Pinchot resolution is complete as
follows:
whereas, concentrated monopolistic
control of water power in private hands
is swiftly increasing in the, United
whereas, this concentration is grow
ing far more rapidly than public con-
troll thereof; and
Whereas, the increasing concentra-
ton of water power control Is accom-
panied in the same hands by growing
and far wider control over the agencies
that consume power-the public service
companies of the country; and
whereas, this concentration IL 1t is
fostered, as in the past, by outright
grants Of public powers In perpetuity.
will inevitably result in a highly monop-
olistic control Of mechanical power, one
of the bases Of modern civilization, and
a prime factor in the cost Of living:
"ThereforA. b 1t resolved, That We
recognize the arm and effective public
control Of water power corporations as
a pressing and immediate necessity,
urgently required in the public interest;
THAT We recognize that the most ef-
fectiye control is exercised through the
power site itself, and that ther is no
restraint so complete, effective, and
permanent as that which comes from
firmly retained public ownership of the
power site;
THAT it is. therefore. the solemn
judgment of the fifth national conserva-
ton congress that hereafter no water
power now owned or controlled by the
public should be sold, granted, or given
away in perpetuity, or in any manner
removed from the public ownership,
which alone can give sound basis Of as
sured and permanent control in the in.
terest of the people 50 3