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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 1915)
THE MORNING OREGONIAX. THURSDAY, - SEPTEMBER 23, 1915. 9 FEDERAL CONTROL DEFENSE SATIRICAL Thrills Abound as Senators ar Over Issues Be fore Conference. SCOPE OF ACTION ATTACKED 2Hr. Chamberlain, In Spirit or An tagonism, Assails Governor and Programme Committee for Choice "of Speakers. defense of the Federal contr'i fea ture of the Ferris bill ana ,.iarp at tacks on the conference by United States Senators George E. Chamberlain, of Oregon, and Thomas J. Walsh, of Montana, and an equally warm reply by Reed Smoot, United States Senator from Utan. supplied the morning session of the Western States Water Power Con ference yesterday with plenty of thrills. Both Senators Chamberlain and Walsh spoke extempore. Senator Smoot had prepared ohe of the most com prehensive addresses yet delivered be fore the Conference on the subject as signed to him, "Federal Tax on Water Power," but at the beginning, and again at the end, he departed from his set speech to reply to the assertions of the two Senators preceding him. So magnetic is Senator Smoot's per sonality as a speaker and so remark able was his address that he held to his last word an audience that filled the big Conference hall to the back row of seats, though "Tie did not finish until after 1 o'clock. Antagonistic Spirit Is Shown. Senator Chamberlain, the first speak er, displayed a spirit of antagonism to the Conference in his first words. He assailed Governor Withycombe on hav ing, as he said, appointed men of the fame views to the Oregon delegation. He said that though plenty of Senators who were against, the Ferris bill were on the programme, he saw none pres ent but himself who Joined in the ma jority report in its favor. He attacked the Portland Chamber of Commerce for Its bulletin discussing the purposes of the Conference. "The delegates as they arrived were confronted by this bulletin issued by the Chamber of Commerce, purporting to state what the issue was, and tell ing them the West was abused by the policy of withdrawing public lands," he said. "In other words, this distinguished body, instead of calling a conference at which the situation would be ana lyzed and discussed, told its guests what the question was and how it was to be decided. "Now I hope I am mistaken in my fear that no constructive work will be accomplished by this conference," he went on, "and that it will only criticise the Ferris bill." Interference Idea Is Denied. He said the delegates should try to refute the arguments presented in the paper of O. C. Merrill, chief engineer of the Forestry Bureau, "instead of in dulging in crimination and recrimina tion of the Forestry service." "I was born and raised in the South." he continued, "yet I never heard a more impassioned plea in behalf of state's rights by the most rabid rebel than that delivered yesterday by the distin guished gentleman from Washington (ex-Senator Piles). Are we going to secede from the Union for this declared Invasion of state's rights? "My friends, there is no interference in the Ferris bill with the rights of the etate. I will go as far as any one in admitting that the states own non navigable streams but we must ad mit that the Government owns the land along the streams one as necessary as the other. Shall the Government give up its valuable rights on these lands and lose its last chance to control the development of water power? I say no. Opposition In Declared. "I shall stand unalterably opposed to the taking away from the Government of these power sites which would take away from the Government the right to regulate and control. "But, my friends, the Government Is not going to release the power sites. I make that prediction and even if it does, we in Oregon have a means to keep these rights for the people and not for the interests. "I don't think the Government should charge a high rate for power sites. It is not a question of profit for the Gov ernment. It is a question of having these sites used and of retaining for the Government the power of regulat ing and controlling them. I'd be just as willing to have them permit the '-so of power sites free. "I think .what this conference ought to do is to endeavor to formulate some policy that ought to be adopted. Reso lutions of denunciation won't do any pood. We want some legislation. Let is in this conference adopt some reso lution that will be helpful to Congress. But I shall not at any time vote to give tip to any individual or corporation the power to fix any rate they may be desiring to fix." Senator Smoot Replies Pointedly. Senator Smoot, when he was called to speak, preceded his set address with a sharp and pointed reply to Senator Chamberlain's remarks. "Perhaps it would be out of place." he began, "for me to refer to the re marks of Senator Chamberlain in re--ga,rd to the 'unfair measures' taken bv the Governor of Oregon in asking men to speak at this conference, and the arrangement of the programme. "But I have been asked to say a word to explain the situation as it exists, so there will be no misunder standing. "First, Lindley M. Garrison, Secre tary of War. was invited to be here and speak. He declined. Such was the case also with Major Ansel. "A special invitation was extended to Secretary Lane. Also to George Otis fimith, director of the Geological Survey. Also to Edward C. Finney to cpeak on behalf of the Secretary' of the Interior. "Secretary of Agriculture Houston was invited to address the conference Representative Oscar W. Underwood, of Alabama, was invited to be here. Announcement Brings Regret. "And I am sorry to hear it stated this morning that none of the Senators of the public lands committee, who signed the majority report, were asked to be present. We heard yesterday the regrets of Senator Plttman, of Nevada. He was asked to be here. Senator Myers, chairman of the com mittee, was a delegate and no doubt would have been asked to speak. "Again, the Senator said the Governor of Oregon had appointed all Republi cans on his delegation. If I am not mistaken, my friends, the Legislature of Oregon appointed the delegates; so if there is any criticism, it should be directed to the Legislature of this Kreat state and not at the Governor thereof." Senator Walsh, who followed Senator Chamberlain, spoke along much the same lines as the Oregon man. His speech bristled with satire and was In terspersed with witty sallies that frequently had the whole audience laughing. "I was considerably astonished when I came to the city to be handed a pamphlet purporting to be the official paper of the Chamber of Commerce, our hosts here," he said, "in which the delegates were advised that the ques tion confronting the conference was whether water power will be developed under individual initative or under control of the Federal Government. "I was very much relieved when your presiding officer, the eminent, fair and distinguished gentleman from Utah, Governor Spray, at the luncheon yester day put the subject very much better when he said that "the question was how -to get the use of the Government land In order to get the use of the state's water,' and that's the question." He declared the idea that under a leasing system power sites on Federal land could not be taxed was erroneous. "Government lands aren't subject to taxation, of . course," he said, "but whenever the Government gives a pos sessable right to. anyone, that lease hold right is subject to taxation any where. It has been so decided by the United States Supreme Court, and not only that, but we already do It in Montana. We tax even .the right of the land holder on public lands to oc cupy his right." He asserted that if the idea of the conference is to denounce the Ferris bill, the delegates might as well go home without debate. "Do you think the Secretary of the Interior will be influenced in his version of the law by resolutions you may adopt?" he asked. Question at Issue Defined. "The question is whether you are going to grant the privilege of occupy ing power sites for all time, or whether you are going to adopt the same policy as you adopt with Dublic utilitv fran chises. Eastern opinion. vou must remember, too, is all one way. The Easterners might be disposed to agree to what the unanimous opinion of the West demanded, but when we ar n divided among ourselves, what can we expect? 'With Republicans as well rmn- crats'in the West raising their voices against any effort to convev these power sites in perpetuity, I wonder how much chance any measure to that effect has of being passed. And what iniiuence win any resolutions to that end adopted by this conference have? sincerely hope that even at this late date we shall direct our ntttin to the wisdom of this policy, modify ing it so far as we can in accord with the ideas prevalent in this part of the country." Revenue Raising Alleged Purpose. In his address. Senator Smoot said in part: "Vigorous attempts are now holn made by the Departments of the In terior and of Agriculture, particularly by the Department of the Interior, to induce or coerce Congress Into the en actment of legislation predicated along the lines of their existing regulations. The avowed purpose of these ree-nln- tions and of the Dronosed les-ioiatinn is to produce revenue for the general Government. It is an attempt to do in directly what cannot be done directly. "The time allotted me inHov win allow me to discuss in detail the merits ana demerits of the Ferris bill. I do not hesitate, however, to say that the principles involved in It go to the very constitutional rights and life of th states. Weakness of States In Defense. It has been declared bv tha Sunrcm. Court that our Union is 'an Inde structible union of indestructible states.' ine inaestructibility of the Union was finally settled after a bloody war. May I ask what will it require forever to establish the indestructibility of the states, which is just as important to the future life of our country as the indestructibility of the Union? "The destruction of the balance of power between the states and the Union by usurpation of the constitu tional rights of the state by the Union must never happen or be allowed. "The officers of the Interior Depart ment when told that legislation affect ing the waters of a state should be en acted by the Legislature of the state, that- an act of Congress Interfering with the control of the waters wholly within a state is Governmental usurpa tion, reply that the state governments are weak. Fight on Usurpation Declared. "Oh, how often have I heard It! How often have I, living in one of the small Western states, been told that we are weak: that we are incapable of self government and that it requires the power and wisdom of the department heads and bureau clerks to protect the peopie s interest and to conserve the natural resources of the state! "If this were all true, which it is not, it would not be a sufficient cause for the destruction of the fundamental plan of our government. Are the Western people going to surrender lo cal self-government to ! a centralized departmental power at Washington? If so, the progressive and prosperous career of our Western states will come to an end. "Any usurpation, the result of which will be the destruction of the rights of a sovereign state, even if it is un der the pretense of taking care of the people of the state, will be resented by the American people whenever they become informed of such a programme. "If the Ferris bill should become a law it would be but the second step not the first step in establishing as a governmental policy the leasing of the public domain." Conference Roused to Cheers. In concluding. Senator Smoot again departed from his manuscript, and his words stirred the conference to ap plause and cheers again and again. "My friends, I love my country, and I want to say to you, that I am as Jealous for her rights as I am for the rights of the sovereign states," he said. "But God forbid that the Government itself shall by legislation try to wrench from the states powers that have been conferred on them by the Constitution of the United States. "It isn't a question of seceding," he went on, with pointed reference to Sen ator Chamberlain's sneer at the advo cacy of the rights of the states by Re publicans. "We are not going to se cede. And it ill becomes a man even to intimate such a question. God knows that every man here, if his country were even in danger would offer his life in its defense. "Prearranged" Charge Anavrered. "That's no reason why the child of the Government, if it feels a grievance, and if it sees the tendency, as all men who have studied the question must see, appeals to the Government that the blow should be held back that's no reason why the child should be cen sured. "We are told," again alluding, to Sen ator Chamberlain's remarks, "that this thing had been 'prearranged.' that it was 'cut and dried.' All I know about it is that I was asked if I would de liver an address on the question that was presented to you. And I am just the sort of man that if a majoritv should oppose my .views, I'd not how or cry about it! "I believe in a government of ma jorities. God save us from the day that an American citizen, anywhere in the borders of this country, can't give his views freely on his judgment. Welfnre of State Dnt Thought. "I don't ask any man to vote for other than what he believes are the best Interests of his people, and if he does, he isn't worthy of respect. "There were a number of other ques tions I wanted to discuss. I am sorry I haven't the time, that's all. But I wouldn't want you for a moment to think that I'd run away from them. "I want you to take what I have said in exactly the same spirit in which 1 have said It. I believe it. And I want my state and my Government to be in full accord on every subject that makes for the prosperity and welfare of my state." CHAIRMAN L FAVORS SGROO MILITARY Experience Would Be Fine and Best Means of Prepared ness, Says Mr. Munly. BANKERS APPROVE PLAN Financiers Ask Board Xot to Allow ""Well-Meaning Parent-Teachers to Blind" Body to Movement for Traced Citizens. "I am heartily in favor of equipping the young men of ovr country with the aeans of defending our National life against foreign assault and internal strife," declared M. G. Munly, chairman of t- School Board of the Portland puDlic schools, yesterday. "Military instruction in the schools is the best possible means of prepared ness and the finest sort of experience that could be supplied; It supplies that something that is needed in the equip ment of the growing youth, regardless of whether he ever follows the military life or not. "I am emphatically opposed to the attempt of the Parent-Teachers to ef ferainize the schools by offering such strenuous objections to the proposed plan. I consider that they went to the extreme in the methods they employed in their remonstrance." One Would Teach Diplomacy. Mr. Munly was the only member of the School Board who ventured such positive remarks, all the other mem bers interviewed yesterday preferring to wait until some action had been taken by the teachers' committee and the Board before they allowed their sentiments to be made public. O. M. Plummer said: "I would rather not make a state ment until some action has been taken." Mr. Plummer declared that he was an advocate of peace at almost any price, but he favored maintaining peace through education. "I would rather see peace secured by educating the pupils to be skillful In diplomacy than to have it attained by brute force," he said. "If the pupils who attend our public schools are taught the art of diplomacy, truth fulness and straightforwardness I con sider that our National safety would be assured. "I have had relatives who fought in both the Revolutionary and Civil wars and possibly I have some of that same military spirit, but I prefer the system of education to that of militarism. If our National .honor were in danger of being insulted and education failed, then my position might be different." Mr. Beach Has Fixed Opinion. Dr. Allan Welch, chairman of the teachers' committee of the Board had nothing to say until "the matter has been taken up and a decision reached." J. V. Beach, a Board member, said: "I would rather not discuss it; although I have a well-defined opinion." The question of the incorporation of voluntary training in the high schools has aroused the interest of organiza tions other than the ones that took part in Tuesday's controversy. In a meeting Tuesday night the Portland chapter of the American Institute of Banking, in regular session and largely attended, the Portland bankers passed the following resolution unanimously: "Be it resolved. That the Portland chapter of the American Institute of Banking, acting in hearty accord with the resolution enthusiastically-! and unanimously adopted at the annual convention of our organization at San Francisco, August 18 to 20, as also with the resolution adopted by the American Bankers' Association at their convention In Seattle, September 6 to 11. hereby express to the honorable School Board of the City of Portland its approval of the proposed plan as offered by Adjutant-General White of the National Guard, to organize volun tary military companies among boys in our high schools. Great Benefits Predicted. "And be it further resolved. That it is our firm belief that great benefits are bound to accrue to every youth of high school age from such methods ol discipline, physical exercise and propet care of the body, as have made our citizen soldiery of the National Guard the recognized bulwark of our National defense." The resolutions sent to the Board also had incorporated in them the hope that "the well meaning efforts of the Parent-Teacher Association to bring n'miiiiiiutuimuuunmimmmimnmtwtiiiiiumm ChailottValK.or in rParamouM Charlotte Walker is admittedly one of the foremost dramatic artists of America. Her stage successes were so notable that The Jesse L, Lasky Feature Play Co. engaged her to appear exclusively in photoplays for sev eral years. The first screen production in which Miss Walker appeared was "Kindling." This picture is in de mand all over the country. "Out of Darkness" is the title of Miss Walker's latest picture. This is the story of a rich woman, who, through loss of memory, becomes a worker in her own f actory and thus suffers through the bad industrial conditions im posed upon her women and children employes. Upon re gaining her mind she at once takes steps to provide better conditions in her great establishment. You can see Charlotte Walker only at theaters featuring; Paramount Pictures Whenever you see her advertised by a theater, go see the picture and enjoy it, If no theater in your town is showing mount Pictures ask the best theater to them. A Motion Picture Magazine Free Ask your theatre for a free copy of Picture Progress. If you can't get it write to us. 'KmS owMMBODWrai wmponvn V - itieit NEW YORK.N.Y. local --$-V-;V.-,:., - I - --"t,. ...... . - ; -V. - : -g?-" . - --fJi Z Para MmiiiiiiiililllllilllllliiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiniiiiMi:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!imniiiHiMiimiiMiMiMiiiM about world peace will not blind your honorable body to the necessity that exists for encouraging a widespread movement which has for its object the voluntary training of the citizen sol diery which will prove an adequate National defense, in the event that such action becomes necessary." X-RAY SHOCKS 2 PERSONS Ifoquiain Hospital Is Threatened With Damage Snit. ABERDEEN. Wash., Sept. 22. (Spe cial. C. H. Shutt. president of the Grays Harbor Logging Company, of this city, was knocked unconscious and his forehead burned, and his daughter, Theresa, a high school student, was rendered unconscious for nearly two days by an X-ray machine in the Ho quiam General Hospital. Monday. Mr. Shutt says he was hurled several feet against a wall, and that his daughter was hurled in another direction. He says he will file suit for damages. Dr. A. J. Mclntyre. one of the direct ing heads of the Hoquiam Hospital, says that both Mr. Shutt and his daughter sustained an electric shock when Mr. Shutt's head came in contact with one of the wires serving the ma chine, about which Mr. McGuire says Mr. Shutt had been warned. Klamath Buyers' Week Changed. KLAMATH FALLS. Or., Sept. 22. (Special.) The Klamath Falls Busi ness Men's Association- and the Com mercial Club have changed the date for Buyers' Week to the second week in October. 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