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Show GOVERNORS DO NOT FAVOR THE LEASING PLAN Ammons, Spry and Oddie Thunder Against the Ferris Bill at Conference of Executives Ex-ecutives in Denver. WEST OF OREGON IS ON THE OTHER SIDE First Assistant Secretary of Interior Also Defends the Policy of Department in Land Matters. Special to Tne Tribune. DEiNTER, April S. "If the government govern-ment is goiiiK-to make money out of the public lands, it should pay taxes and obey the state laws." "Under the fostering care of the forest- bureau has grown up the greatest trust I know anything about the lumber trust." "The only difference between leasehold lease-hold and ownership of land is that you ean monopolize cheaper uudcr a Icfisc." "Assistant Secretary Jones's hands aro tied; he's in bad company." "Tho cost of the average battleship, if applied to irrigation, would furnish homes for -1000 people." Excerpts from an address by Governor Gov-ernor . aI. Amnions of Colorado before be-fore the Western Governors' conference. con-ference. Favor Old System. Tho state rights advocates at -the conforouco today thundered against the Ferris bill for leasing various portions of tho public domain. Governors Ammons, Am-mons, Spry and Oddie of Colorado," Utah and Nevada, respoctivoly, statos in which huge areas of govommeut land make the controversy of vital impor tanco, demanded a return to tho old system of easy acquisition. A. A. Jones, first assistant secretary of tho interior, defended tho policy of the department. He wns backed by Oswald West of Oregon, the only delcgato to tho governors gov-ernors ' conference "who expressed approbation ap-probation of tho leasing system. Tho governors' conference todaj' nd-journed nd-journed to reconvene at tho close of the irrigation conference, which opens tomorrow. At that timo it is expected that the governors will adopt resolutions resolu-tions to bo submitted to congress and to the department of the interior. Will Plan Programme. At 0:30 tomorrow morning tho governors gov-ernors will meet with tho representatives representa-tives of the interior department, to plan a programme for the irrigation conference, con-ference, -which is called for 10:30. The governors indorsed u project out-liued out-liued by Mrs. Belle Van Dorn Uarbcrt of Manzanola, Colo., president of the International Congress of Farm Women, ior a model farm homo on tho grounds of tho Panama-Pacific exposition in 1915. The discussion of the land-loasing bills, which began at tho morning session, ses-sion, was resumed after luncheon recess re-cess by Governor Oddie of Nevada. Ho expressed vigorous opposition to the leasing sj-stem. "It's too much liko tho ancient serfdom in Europo," ho said. Sprys Argument. The argument thun was taken up by Governor Spry. Tho Utah executive pnlntcd a dramatic picture of the hardships hard-ships endured by the pioneers who crossed the plains to build his state. "Tho Utah Copper company spent $30,-000,000 $30,-000,000 before It made ono cent." he said. "Now, by the most painstaking development, devel-opment, It Is making u profit of about t3 per cent on Its Investment. This com-panv com-panv has been attacked as a monopoly. If that is a monopoly, let us have moro of such monopolies." Assistant Secretary Jones told the governors gov-ernors that he was In favor of easy acquisition of agricultural and grazing land. "If In any part of the country a man needs eight wholo uoctlous, let him have It," he said. But as to coal and oil lands. Mr. Jones stoutly upheld the leasing system. "Ninety per cent of the oil and gas lands now being operated are under lease. Tho terms of the leases are fixed by tho few. big concerns which own tho land. Do vou want two or three men to control all tho oil and gas lands In the country?" he asked. West for States' Rights. Governor West of Oregon said: "I'm slrongly for state rights. I'd hold up Undo Sum In a dark alloy If I could, and take everything ho has uack to Or-gon. Or-gon. But what's tho uao of trying to got something you can't? "I'm glad tho government withdrew Borne of Its lands from entry before it was too late, so that wc can draw a long breath, think what fools wc have been In the past, and devise a system to protect pro-tect the birthright of tho people. Until somebody shows mo something better, I'm going to support tho leasing bill." Tonight the governors wore entertained (Continued on Page Soven.) i GOVERNORS DO II FW LHSI1 PI (Continued from Page One.) at a banquet oy Governor Amnions and the Denver chamber of commerce. Governor Carey asked the federal officials offi-cials whether it was the purpose to assert federal control over water power which does not go into interstate commerce and Is not derived from navigable streams. "If tho bill undertakes to do anything j which It Is not authorized by thu constitution con-stitution of tho United States, there cor-talnly cor-talnly Is a tribunal tnat will stop it." Mr. Jones replied. "I see no provision In this hill which undertakes to regulate the Internal affairs of states." Governor Lister Introduced a. resolution on the subject of waterpower development, develop-ment, which declared that the conference of western governors "strongly favor and urge the Immediate passage of an act by congress that will make possible development develop-ment of waterpower projects of tho west, and that In the nassago of such legislation, legisla-tion, federal and state Interests be properly prop-erly and carefully safeguarded." He asked Its Immediate adoption, hut later consented to postpone the vote until the flnnl soKsIon ot tho conference. Several Sev-eral governors Intimated that thoy would favor a more decided stand In favor or tho Interests of tho states. |