Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-05-16


| Mr. Bryan, ''in which exploiting in
| terests can take refuge both and my
| observation is that most-not al, but
! most--of the contentious over the line
| between nation and state are ttaceahle
| to predatory corporations, which are
| trying to shield themselves from d.
| served punishment or endeavoring 10
| prevent needed restraining legislation,
Mr. Bryan said we should not only
preserve the nations resources for iu-
ture generations, but should see 60 u
that these were not monopolzed by
few uf the people. and future general
tiuns should not be fettcred with per-
petual franchises.
Coal, iron and timber on the free
list would tend To reduce the waste niii
exploitation Of our own resources Mt'
Bryan said Mr.. Hill had rendered q
real service in pointing out the iup'lr-
nent OF the crop value OF our soil
which should lead to still further ch
largement OF the work OF the depart
ment of agriculture Irrigation was
thoroughly Justified. MIR Bryan contin-
ucd, by the transformation of a desert
into field and garden, and g->.tc and ~
ton could there find a legitimate iielJ
for activity
Drainage OF the swamps, too, Was
legitimate. aud no subject more fully
justified the attention given by the
field was so large, he said. and The
need for action so urgent. that both
state and nation could exercise them
selves TO the full without doing too
much
Mr.. Bryan said the development OF
water transportation was essentially
a. national project. yet the states might
do certain amount of developing If
they were permitted to avail them
selves of the water power that could
be realized In conclusion, he de-
clarcd that money spent in these great
Projects was bequest to those who
are TO come after us. and this gather
ing would be remembered by future
generations. because they as well a.
ourselves. would be the recipients OF
the benefits to follow.
GOV CONFER Y
Gov Conner of Alabama took the
platform. and while heartily endorsing
the objects of the conference, he re-
turning to the president
I'VE are little bit sk!ttish, Mr..
President about turning over our rail-
roads to the president We don't quite
go with you there-but the water
ways"
This seeming desire of Gov. Conner to
get away quickly from his suggestion
OF opposition to the president caused
that his state was anxious to develop
the water power of the streams and
also make them navigabe. His state
wanted to know whether in building
locks the natiori would not permit them
TO be constructed so as to develop
water power.
RESPONSE OF PRESIDENT.
When Gov. Conner had finished, the
president carried the convention en-
trely off it's feet with an unexpected
but brief address. in which he placed
himself Squarely on record as TO his
belief regarding the division of power
between the states and the nation. he
said:
II want to say one word about the
twilight land--the power between the
federal and state governments Ny
aim in the Legislation ! have advocated
for the regulation of the great cor
has been to provide sound
Effective, popular sovereign for each
tApplause.) What ! am
rylng 70 find out-not negatively, not
~ decisions that a state cannot act
n federal decisions that the nation
'annot act-is where one or the other
an act SO that there shall always
&c some sovereign power on behalf of
he people that they may hold over
he big corporations, over the big in
llviduals to-. that an accountability
their acts shall be had for
the benefit OF the people. (Applause)
I'm matters that relate only to the
people within the state, of course the
state is to be sovereign, and II should
have the power to act If the mat
ter is such that the state itself can
not act then | wish on behalf of the
state that the national government
should act" tApplause)
The president explained In detail his
position relative to the use of water
power and other concessions granted by
The national government 10 corpora
lions and individuals. He belieevd that
none OF these privileges should be
granted without a reservation in the
franchise limiting the time 1t should
he paid for the privilege. This he
said, guaranteed to future generations
he right to control the natural re
sources on which they would depend
and make IL possible for them to ter
inmate any private control over such
resources which might be granted
now.
Where this policy can be carried out
best by the state IT ought to be done
by The state Where It can be best
carried out by the nation, then the ma
ton should enforce it. My concern
is not in the academic discussion of
either the principle of the states right
or the principle of national sovereign
~ but II is what will best conserve