HOSTILITY TO NATIONAL FORESTS 275 



of Colorado argued that 35 per cent was not enough, since the other 

 states had got all. As Martin expressed it, "We regard it in the light 

 of having returned to us 35 per cent of what you have first taken away 

 from us." Appealing to Payne of New York, he continued: "Your 

 state has had the benefit of its public domain and all its resources, 

 and now you propose to take away all that remains of the public 

 domain in our state, its water power, its coal lands, its oil lands, its 

 phosphate lands, and everything else, and turn them over to a Federal 

 bureau to milk them perpetually as a source of Federal profit." Martin 

 of South Dakota enlarged on the "burden of maintaining order" in 

 the reserves, which, of course, was saddled on the states. Taylor of 

 Colorado called upon Congress to "give the pioneer settlers of the 

 West a fair share of the hard earned fees they are paying into this 

 forest refund, and let them build their roads, maintain their schools, 

 educate their children and build up the West as you have the East." 

 Mondell claimed that the localities should have a return somewhere 

 near what they would receive if the lands were in private ownership 

 and taxed, and pointed out that it was the people of the West who 

 paid the grazing fees, and, in fact, all the revenues of the forests. 

 Hawley of Oregon argued that since the people living near the forest 

 reserves were of great assistance in fighting fire, they ought to be 

 compensated by a larger percentage of the forest reserve receipts. 

 Even one eastern man, Sulzer of New York, expressed sympathy with 

 the claims of the West. 



In spite of the efforts of these men, the House absolutely refused to 

 accede to the 35 per cent amendment, and sent it back to a conference 

 committee twice. The conference committee was long unable to come 

 to any agreement. The House conferees — Scott of Kansas, Cocks of 

 New York, and Lamb of Virginia — stood out for the elimination of 

 this amendment, and the Senate conferees — Dolliver of Iowa, Warren 

 of Wyoming, and Money of Mississippi — insisted upon its retention. 

 After considerable wrangling, the Senate finally receded from its 

 amendment. ^^ This attempt of the western men to secure more of the 

 national receipts for schools and roads thus failed, but that did not 

 stop the complaints, nor the efforts to secure a larger share of the 

 revenues. 



29 See debates on H. R. 18162; 61 Cong. 2 sess. 



