The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-06-17
STATE SHOULD RESIST
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
ATTORNEY GENERAL CLAIMS
FEDERAL JURISDICTION OVER
MANAGEABLE STREAMS.

The recent ruling of the attorney
general of the United States in which
ne contends that the federal govern
ment has jurls lcilon over non -navis-
able. streams tributary of aavigabe
wli be yigor usly contested by the
western states ~ ch are already feel
i:.g the pincn u interference m the
development of their resources. SO
vital is this matter to the state or
Idaho, and particularly to the mining
industry, that appeal has been made
TO tho State Mining association 10 pro-
test against The adoption of the prln-
cipal laid down by the attorney geIr
eral ]. B. Eldridge, president Of the
Ada county chapter of the mining arr
sociation, has issued the following
statement on the subject:
Bureaucratic Control.
1T appears that the attorney gem
eral of the United States has given an
opinion fSldlng that all tributaries -
navigabe streams as well as navig-
able streams themselves, are unaer
the exclusive jurisdiction of the Unit
ed States, and that the government or
rather the bureau under which such
matters are administered, is going 10
assume Jurisdiction Of all streams
and water power In the United States
"The far reaching effect Of this In
depreciation and its consequent great
impeachment to progress IN the west is
manifest without comment. When
Idaho was admitted into the Union the
act admitting the state Of Idaho con-
tainod the following;
"'That the state of Idaho is hereby
declared to be a state Of the United
states OF America, and is hereby de-
elared admitted into the Union on an
equal footing with the original state-
in all respects whatsoever.
"Thus it win be seen that Idaho
came into the Union under a contract
by and between the territory of Idaho
and the congress of the United States
that Idaho was to be treated as all
other states therefore admitted, in al
respects whatsoever
Pledge Violated.
1T must be apparent to all that this
contract has been broken in the mos
fragrant manner Many years after
Idahos admission, millions Of acres or
Idaho forests We're withdrawn from
entry under the guse Of reforestation
and forestry protection. The great
phosphate beds of stdrnern Idaho,
worth hundreds of millions of dollars,
were also withdrawn.
"The final step in deprlvng the state
Of Idaho Of practically the last and
all of it's great natural resources is
now initiated through the attempt on
the part of bureaucratic administra-
tion to deprive Idaho Of its great
wealth in water power and water re-
sources. Thus one by one have Ida
hos natural resources been stealthlly
but no less surely stolen under depart
mental ruling and assumption of pow
ers i'm violation of said contract under
which Idaho was admitted into the
Union.
Taxes Increased.
rs 1t any wonder when we con-
template the hundreds of millions of
dollars of wealth thus locked up ana
withheld, not only from development,
but from taxation, that taxes are high
in the state Of Idaho? Is it fair to
Idaho to withdraw hundreds of mill
lions of dollars worth of property that
would have become assessable and
revenue earning property, all of which
would have redounded to the interests