The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-10-08

10 lnCluue q plank IN It's platform In
dorBing the proposed REIMBURSEMENT
OF the national forests to the western
states.
For time after he took office this
president appeared to be sincerely
devoted to his promised conservation
program. He furthered the enactment
OF the Alaska railroad and Alaska coal
land leasing laws, both favored by
conservationiBts. Recently he again
defended conservation by vetoing the
municipal park bill, which would
have permitted municipalities, even
those organized for the purpose to OBJ
tain national forest lands.
Foe In Other Cases.
Aside from these instances the pres
tdont has lent tho influence Of his ad-
minlstratlon to various schemes to
hnmstrlng conservation.
| In the last Congress tho House com
mittee on Interstate commerce, after
hearings at which the only witnesses
Wero three water power lobbyists, 70
vorably reported the Adamson bill to
regulate water power in navigable
streams. The bill gave the water
power trust almost everything It
wanted 1t aroused a storm of dis
approval in the House and the presl-
dent was compelled to take a hand
In the matter. He did not, however,
compel the elimination OF the provis-
ions chiefly desired by the concession
seekers.
Shields Bill Is Defeated.
The House rewrote tho bill in a
form satisfactory to the conservation-
let In Nha
Progressive House bill was shelved in
favor OF the Shields bill, the princi-
pal provisions of which were suggest
ed by Rome G. Brown, of Minneapolis,
leading representative Of water pow
er interests. Secretary OF War Garri-
son Endorsed this measure. but the
opposition OF progressive Republicans
defeated its passage.
In this Congress the Shields bill was
favOrably reported to the Senate
without hearings. Mr.. Garrison had
withdrawn his previous indorse-
ment Of the measure. The bill was
rushed through the Senate while Com
gress and the country were engrOssed
with the submarine warfare crisis.
Powerful Lobby on job.
While the bill was in progress OF
passage by the Senate there congre-
gated in Washington the most numcr-
Gus and powerful lobby of water pow
err officials and employees observed
here In many day. The Shields bill
is now pending in the conference com
mittee of the two houses.
The Ferris bill, n progressive con-
servation measure for leasing water
power on public lands. was passed by
the House In the last Congress despite
the strenuous opposition OF the water
power interests. 1t died in the Sem
ate for want Of administration sup
port. Secretary of the Interior Lane,
who largely drafted the measure, did
not oven appear before the Senate
committee In its defense.
Ferris Bill Shelycd.
In the present Congress the Ferris
bill again was passed by the House,
hut the Senate committee substituted
therefor the Myers bill, which not
only favors the water power interests,
but proposes TO tear down all the
safeguards thrown about hydro-elec-
trio resources by previous administra-
tons in the forest service and inter
Tor department. The Myers bill, pend
ing in the Senate. is now an admin
istration measure and has been in
dorsed by Secretary Lane, who re-
pudlates his previous action in sup
port Of the Ferris bill To the great
JOY of the water power trust, Presi-
dent Wilson himself Endorsed the My
ers bill in his speech of acceptance,
thereby repudiating his previous mes
sages to Congress advocating the Fer
ris bill, which is favored by the con-
seryatlonlsts.
What the Trust Wants.
The principal difference between the
opposing forces in this contest is that
the concession seekers want an indie
terminate franchise, with little or no
compensation to the government and
providing that II the government ever
takes over the plant II shall pay not
only for the physical property, but for
the intangible value of the franchise
the government itself has granted.
The conservationists contend for revo-
cable determinate franchises, with
compensation TO the government, pro-
viding for government purchase at a
fair valuation, excluding intangible
| rights.
Several attempted raids on natural
resources have been blocked by ex-
posures engineered by Clifford PInchot
In 1914 Secretary Garrison recon-
mended the passage OF Senator Mar
tins bill for concession OF water
power rights in the Roanoke river.
Mr.. Pinchot exposed this as a vicious
/ project, similar to those concessions
blocked by Roosevelt and Taft vetoes.
Mr.. Garrison promptly withdrew his
approval. saying he had given it I'M
willingly.
Trusts Well Intrenclled.
Secretary Garrison's reputation of
his approval of two measures sought
/ by the water power interests indicated
that the hydro-electric trust is strong
| ly intrenched in the war department
and able repeatedly to put 1t over
| the secretary.
| Even the most vital needs of the
I government in maintaining adequate
national defense are now threatened
I with sacrifice because Of the attitude
OF the president. The Phelan bill pro-
poses to hand over to powerful oil in
terests valuable public oil lands, in
Guiding those reserved for the navy.