The Washington times., 1915-11-17
WHY CONSERVATION is DROPPED.

Insistence on an extensive scheme OF
for national preparedness is
given as one reason for dropping con-
Along with the prepared
ness measures must 20 revenue pro-
visions designed to raise money for the
expenses Of government, and
also to make up the deficit In national
collections which Is becoming worri-
some. As a matter Of expediency, there
fore, II Is suggested that there In little
use putting into the program anything
lIist can DC dispensed wi.h Aor the unie
being.
ON the other ride. the conservation.
lists, who were greatly disappointed ~
the failure OIL their measures last ses-
sion, intimate that the systematic or
ganizstion of influence and opinion an
tagonistic TO conservation laws throusn.
out the public land states OF the West
has been carried on during the recess
OF Congress. and that It has reached the
point where II is giving real concern
TO the politicians Of the dominant party
President Wilson. during his cam
paign Tor nomination and election. ip-
duIged some very cheering generaliza-
uons touching on and seemingly apper-
tanning TO conservation that LETT the
original conservation party IN nnt
fcttle. Precisely what he meant bj
them Is now the query among the con
Efforts At Last Session.
During the last session OF Congress.
the Ferris water power conservation
bill. for control OF water powers or
the putdio lands, passed tho House anc
was reported favorabiy by tho Senate
Committee on Public Lands. II failed
OF a nnsl vote beca use OF the opposi
ton OF the Western members OF tnt
ha~n nH q q
against the ship purchase bill OF th'
Administration. A. finally framed. 4
was regarded with favor by the con
servationists: but when It failed ther'
were some In their ranks who sus
pecfed that the ship purchase night ha,
been pressed and unnecessarily pro
longed in order to make its considers
ton Impossible. The ball provided 10
fifty-year rights, wath charges to D.
fixed by the Secretary OF tho Interior
properties to tho Government at th'
end OF the term, with the Government
at its option, taking them at pnysica
costs.
Tien there was the so-called genera
development bill. which provided for tn
leasing of coal. phosphate and oil-bear
INK lands on the pubic domain. muci
after the system that has been applied
to the coal lands OF Alaska. including I
fifty-year term, a charge OF royalty pc
ton to be iixed by the Secretary Of th
Interior. antimonopoly provisions
guarantee of safety methods and fai
conditions for labor. and the like. AS 4
oil lands. the measure provided inde
terminate terms of leases. because o
the uncertainty when oil wells may ceas
to produce. royalties were to be liked b.
the barrel. and the Government 10 re
tain general control.
Germans Are Canny.
Dealing with phos phate and gas bea rim
lands. there was different theory as I
the latter; a sort of bonus was granite
TO PRODUCERS of phosphates. in order t
induce development The country is be
lieved to be peculiarly in need OF open
ing new phosphate deposits for fertil
izers The deposIts In the Souther
States. which at present turn out mos
Of the country's annual production. ar
| largely controlled by interests. AMI GEL
man capital dominates a large share @
| them.
| The Germans. who have most OF tn
worlds workable supplies OF potas
within their European empire. have bee
canIy about this fertilizer business
Discovering that their control of potas
gave them a great power. they sougf
early to control phosphates also. an
their capitalists quietly bought int
! American holdings of phosphate land
until their power was realized to be
tiliser industries. Then IT was disco'
cred that extensive phosphate beds e,
listed In the Rocky Mountain West, esp,
ciaDy in idaho. Utah. Wyoming. IN
these 1t was deemed desirable to graz
some special concessions. and the legi
lation contained these. The conserv!
tioHtsts fully agreed with this policy.
| The bill dealing with these propos
tions passed the House. was reports
| h,, hA - I N nd m "a
and then suffered the common fate
the log-jam at the sessions end. wht
the ship purchase measure commando
all the time, itself failing after II hs
killed tho conservation bills.
Il Kent Leasing Bill.
The Kent leasing bill, for publ
lands grazing areas, followed tho lin
OF practice that have been adopted
successfully in dealing with grazir
areas inside the national forests. u
; der this system the ranges have bet
: greatly improved. so that 1t Is po
sible to maintain larger numbers
livestock on given acreages. This b
like wise passed tho House. and di'
In the Senate.
The biggest nght of all was over Il
; Adamson water, power bill. which W
reported to the House from the Int
state Commerce Committee in a for
, which the conservationists said ma
Il altogether dangerous and viciou
, hut none the less II had the indors
ment of the President In the Hou
=, Il was reorganized thoroughly. after
determined fight Of the conservati
forces, and when It passed that boz
: IL was considered pretty nearly mod
bill. in the view OF the conservau
, leaders. But the House reorganizati
! of the bfll was not at all satisfscto
TO the Western interests. and when