The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1914-11-14
ASKS FOR CHANCE TO
DEVELOP LANOS
Governors at Conference Second
William spry, DenouneinQ
Unfair Treatment

ANuuiSOuS Nib.p ANoN' a.
governors today before the COVER
nors' conference here denounced what
they called unfair treatment of pub
lie land states by the federal gov
eminent. Elias A. Ammons OF Col
orado, Joseph II. Carey of Wyoming
| and A. o. Eberhart of Minnesota sec
onded the plea of William Spry of
| Utah that the western states be al
lowed to develop their resources
without interference from Washing
| ton.
Governor Ammons of Colorado
charged that the federal rec.ana-
ton service under the last three
Presidents had disobeyed the orders
of the nations chief executive in re-
fusing to allow Colorado to use pub
lie lands for building reservoir. He
conservation articles full of misstate.
ments and had refused to publish the
other side of the question. Some of
these magazine writer's, the governor
declared, had distorted facts. Among
other things they had asserted that
Rockefeller owned all the coal land
in Colorado, whereas lie owned only
800 acres out of 472,OOO acres of coal
land under lease by the state.
Governor Carey condemned the
governments policy of withdrawing
coal and mineral lands, because such
action tended to retard development
many years. He said that federal at
tempts to improve such lands were
wasteful.
Instead of being liberal with u.s."
said Governor Carey, the govern
ment has limited us to the smallest
area and this despite the fact that
the Rocky mountain states must
struggle the hardest for development
amid adverse circumstances There
is more good coal in Wyoming than
in any other state. yet the govern
ment refuses to allow a settler to
dig a bagful for his own use. The
land should be parceled out among
all the people of the state.
Governor Eberhart of Minnesota
cited the success of states in cop
ing with the public utilities as an
a 81 nF thai, 90
regulate the development of their
own resources. He called on the
eastern and southern states to sup
port the demand of the western
states for better treatment from the
national government.
Governor Stewart of Montana said
his belief was that the quicker pub
lie lands passed under public own
ership, the sooner the country would
find its full development, Governor
T.. +. Dunno of Illinois arrived to-
night to attend the conference.
The feeling of the newer western
states that federal control of natur-
al resources places them at a disad.
vantage with older states received
vigorous expression through Cover
nor William Spry of Utah, who ad
dressed the governors conference.
In fact the day was set aside for con-
sideration OF state control OF natural
resources and this part OF the pro-
gram was interrupted only by lunch
con at Lathrop hall, University OF
Wisconsin.
Federal control, the western gov
ernor asserted. was inimical to the
growth of western communities. as
he said it discouraged individual en-
terprse. The privately owned re
sources of elder states, he pointed out
as an instance, paid large taxes to
the states in which they lie but UNI
der the federal leasing system the
new states were deprived of this
revenue.
Cannot Touch Lands
Suppose the United States gov
eminent leases the mineral coal and
oil lands and water power sites and
remains forever vested of title" said
the speaker, who can estimate the
loss of revenue from taxation which
will be suffered by the states where
In these valuable resources are To-
Gated, which revenues have for years
been accruing to the older states
and will continue forever to accrue