The Washington times., 1908-11-16
Cannon'S Stand Indicates He
Will Oppose Any Scheme
to Spend More Money.
EACH BIC SECTION
WANTS SHARE FIRST
Any Attempt to Get One Project
Through Will Mean Clamor From
Backers of All Others.

There is now certainty OF a sharT
clash OF two absolutely opposing views
OF the question OF conserving and de-
yeloPing national resources.
Speaker Cannon has served notice
that there must be conservatism, and
the most careful consideration OF ex-
pense before any big projects Of this
kind are taken. On the other hand
the Administration is anxious to get
practical work started AT the coming
session OF Congress. and all over the
country forces are beng organized for
renewal OF the campaign for internal
waterway development.
Something like an alliance Of the wa
terway movements in different sections
OF the country is being perfected. The
Mississippi valley people want the lake
and-gulf project pressed. The Missouri
valley people are not excited about this,
but they do want the Missouri river 10
get attention and Improvement. The
Eastern people are looking for their
slice In the form OF the great COastWise
interior waterway. L. se formed by
connecting the Chesapeake and Della
ware bays, the Delaware river, and
other waterways, and making a great
water highway parallel 10 the coast.
It is evident that a vast contract In
lcg-rolling is going 10 be taken on by
the conservation advocates. Every sec
ton wants its slice, and apparently all
will have to be included before any can
win.
Hull Has Plan.
Representative Hull, of Iowa, frankly
expressed this view IN discussing the
demands Of the middle West He said
the work that ought 10 be authorized
now is a thorough study and survey of
the whole field, with "a view to deter
mining just how 10 proceed, what prof.
ects are practical and what are not,
and in what order they should be taken
up. He indicates plainly that all sec
tions will have to get consideration to-
gether. No one locality is going 20 re-
ceive millions for a great pet project,
such as the lakes-and-g gulf scheme,
without the others being looked after.
All this involves spending an Inn
mense amount Of money, continued over
a long period. With the deficit IT. rev
enues giving concern already and seri-
CusIy threatening 10 Comphcate taTlfI
revision and 10 compel the ways and
means authorities To devise new rev
enue plans, it is plain enough that there
will be Iong debate on any proposal
10 inaugurate the conservation work
Meanwhile, the national conservation
commission expects TO get a. practical
things Iu the near future Thus far,
it's work has been mainly in the nature
of propaganda Everybody admits its
purpose 80 commendabIe, but more must
HI q Fa.r fFs
spire newspaper and magazine articles.
Work Goes Forward.
The work of propaganda has gone
forward mere eftectually and cOntinu-
ously since the national conservation
commission was Iamed in June. The
COUWjssiOu was really a uniting of
activities along several lines-a harness
ing together Of the waterways move
ment with the general project Of con
serving resources. The older inland
waterways commission became the divi-
sion Of waters under the conservation
commission. Other divisions are for
ests. lands and minerals. Clifford Pin
chot, forester, is chairman OF the COM
mission. The reorganization followed
the meeting OF governors at the White
House, wnen the whole conservation
movement was so warmly indorsed.
The commission decided its first work
should be taking stock Of waters, for
ests, lands and minerals. That inven-
tory has been completed. IL has brought
together the mos useful collection of
facts about ne ural resources ever as
sembled. Reports present the hard
facts: acTeages Of land. board feet of
timber. tons Of coal In the ground, pow
CT of water in streams
With the inventory before IL, the
conservation commission will meet here
LCnnLInuaa ON sa.nna n.aaA