Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-04
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Our Natural Resources
To the Editor Of the TeItgraeh:

The end of fighting in France
opens many a question at home.
During the war the hearts and minds
OF the men and women of America
were overseas, but with the coming
of victory we can turn again to home
affairs. 1t is right and fitting, there
fore, that the friends of Conserva-
ton should inquire once more as to
the status of the conservation move
ment. 1t is particularly right and
fitting at the moment when Theodore
Roosevelt, the man to whom this
movement was most indebted, has
left us conservationists as heirs to
the task which he began.
The people of the United States
own natural resources of enormous
value-lands that contain more than
six hundred million barrels of oil.
four hundred and fifty billion tons
OF COAL. two million acres of phos-
phate lands, and more than fifty
million undeveloped water horse
power.
Legislation is now pending in
Congress to trade or give all this
away. While public attention was
absorbed by the war, measures to
dispose of these resource quietly
passed both the House and Senate.
sound, the Senate bills thoroughly
bad. There is serious danger that
the latter will be jammed through
in the dying hours of the present
session.
The Senate, on January 7,r191S.
after very brief consideration, passed
bill IS. 2S12),' dealing with. the
coal, oil, gas and phosphate re-
sources now in public ownership.
This measure, masquerading as a
leasing bill, would surrender, with
the title, all control of waste, output,
price, and labor conditions. 1t
fosters speculation in coal, oil, gas,
and phosphate, and gives no assur-
ance of prompt development. Even
the leasing provisions afford no pro-
lection to the public against extor-
ton or monopoly. Still worse, it
gives title to fraudulent oil claim
ants, many of whom have already
had their claims denied by the
courts. Finally there is Joker
which would overthrow the present
lease law for coal lands in Alaska,
for which we fought so long and
would turn them over forever to
private hands.
A bill for the leasing of these
same resources was passed by the
House on May 25, 5,'191S. This meas
ure Oh. R. s2s2) is much fairer to
the public interests than the inde-
fensible companion bill passed by
the Senate.
On December Il. 1917. the SEN
ate passed bill Is. 1880. provid-
ing for the granting of franchises
for waterpower on navigabie
torious and disreputable Shields
Bill of the previous Congress, which
was defeated by public condemna-
ton. The House did not approve
it, but passed instead an entirely
new bill, drawn by the Administra-
ton and covering water power not
only on navigable streams, but also
upon public lands and national for
ests, and international waterways
When this Administration bill
was first introduced 1 endorsed il
heartily. The House Committee on
Water Power later wrote in a new
clause, the most vital in the bill,
which was very properly opposed by
the President. Nevertheless, on
September. 8, 1918, the measure
passed the House with this clause
included.
The two sets of bills are now in
conference. The Senate measures
both on minerals and on water
powers are MOESt NuS
Ballinger bills,-more hostile to the
public interest and more helpful to
corporate monopolies. The House
bills are entirely different and vastly
better. AS you know, a bill reported
from conference cannot be substan-
TALLY amended in the House or Sem
ate, but must be accepted or reject
ed as it stands. The danger is that
the bills reported by the conference,
both on minerals and on water DOW
er. may be like the Senate bills. and
unlike those of the House, and that
| in the confusion of the closing hours
they may pass. The men who, with
out regard. to party. strive to de-
feat the passage of the Senate meas
ures,; or any measures like them, will
Ideserve well of their country. -
The vast natural resources which
are still held by the people, can. be
made to supply sound and solid
lbasis for reconstruction. Properly
lconseryed and administered. :, they
might almost wipe out our gigantic
national debt. There is no good real
son why they should go to make
more nliIlionaires instead of helping
| our people to pay for the war.
| In the public interest l ask you to
give these facts the widest publicity
at your command. - -
|. sincerely yours,
CLIFFORD PINCHOT.