The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-04-15
WE ARE ogrrlNo TOGETHER.

1t is the belief OF the official pub
LEGATION of the American Mining Con-
gress that house and senate at Wash
ington want to do the right thing by
the West, says the Oregonian. The
support given the leasing and water
power bills was with the thought that
the people of the states concerned de-
sired this legislation. But the Min
ing Congress- Journal does not seem
to be fully aware Of a strong move
ment now under way, for 1t remarks:
The West now has another OPP
portunity to prevent the passage
OF these bills. Isolated protests
will be of no avail. Even the pro-
tests OF all western members of
congress and the senate will not
be sufficient: 1t will be necessary
TO convince the American people
that the policy of Abraham Lincoln,
that the public lands are a nation
al possession held in trust for the
maturing states, Is best for the
West and best for the country as
whole Will the West awaken to
its opportunity7
As between the two bills oregon's
chief concern Is I'm the water power
measure This state. through Its leg
islature has shown its wakefulness by
inviting the western public land states
to send delegates to a conference to
be held In Portland next fall. Sue
cess OF the conference. in point of at
tendance, is now assured.
While the proposed convention is
primarily TO be known as a water
power conference, the text OF the Ore
gon resolution indicates that 1t is the
desire in this state to take up the
whole public land question.
\ 1t is said that of that great ex-
panse OF territory west Of north-and
south line drawn through the eastern
border of Colorado one-half Of the
land In the several states included
therein is In Federal control In Ore
gon the proportion OF privately owned
lands Is smaller than for the entire
area. for here 1t Is hut 40 per cent.
Idaho is far worse off. with but II per
cent Of its land taxable.
Within this western territory lie ma
tional forests equivalent in area to q
tract 1000 miles long and more than
5000 miles wide and as large as the
ten states of Illinois. Indiana, Ohio,
Pennsylvania. Virginia, West Virginia,
Kentucky, New Jersey. Maryland and
Delaware combined. In addition. are
vast areas of public lands but much
OF 1t withheld in fact by the isolation
caused by a general restrictive policy.
Water powers In states that have
adopted thorough methods OF regula-
tion for the benefit Of the consuming
public are In effect bottled. The west
ern country is heavily burdened with
taxes made higher by the scattered
nature Of It's settlements and develop
ment The gaps cannot be closed un-
til the government permits use OF that
which Is going to waste.
We believe that there Is lively
realization throughout the West that
any leasing plan which embraces the
policy Of exacting government revenues
from natural resources is but charge
against the consumer and a tax up
on the West.
The so-called water-power conference
Is not likely to be a stickler on cred
entails. 1t will doubtless welcome to
it's counseis all elements that have
western welfare at heart. Its CHIEF
purpose is to formulate a policy as
to the public land Issue on which al
Western states NAV get together