The San Francisco call., 1908-07-22
URGES STATE TO
PROTECT RESOURCES
lIiffOrd PinchOt, Head of For
estry Service, Insists Streams
and Timber Be Protected
Says Formation of Great Water
Power Monopoly Should
Be Prohibited

While the forest service is doing all
II can TO protect the watersheds, the
state Of California is allowing its own
cltzens TO do the worst they can with
these watersheds" said Clifford Pinchot
yesterday in the course of an address
10 the businessmen Of the city The
mead Of the national forestry service
censured the state for its failure to
protect its vast natural resources,
sounded note OF warning for the fu-
lure, and called upon his hearers to
insist upon immediate legislation TO
safeguard TO the people the benefits in
herent In timber land and flowing
streams.
Above all else Pinchot urged that
action be taken TO prohibit the ruth
less destruction OF forests and to pre-
vent the formation of a great water
power monopoly. The speaker stated
that the danger of private domination
OF the streams was imminent.
The question viii come up next win
ter, he said, whether we shall have
fastened upon US the greatest monop-
oily that can be conceived Of; one that
viii make the Standard oil company
look small I mean whether the great
power companies shall be allowed to
get into a position where the people
cannot force them to be in fact what
they are in name, public service cor
porations; whether they shall be al
lowed rights in perpetuity or whether
these streams shall be held under the
control Of the people"
Pinchot and Senator Francis G..
NeWlands discussed the necessity of
prompt action TO preserve the natural
resources at a large gathering of rep
resentatives of the commercial inter
ests Of the city on the floor of the
merchants exchange. Local congress-
men, city and state officials were pres
ent. PinchOt spoke for the most part
Of timber and irrigation. while New
lands addressed himself to the topic
Of river Improvement
Pinchot was introduced by c. s. Lau-
meister. president Of the merchants
exchange
i have been a student of conditions
on the Pacific coast for the past 20
years." began the speaker, and 1 have
inquired into the INTERPOLATION of noun
tain and plain. forest and water. You
could not do the wonderful things YOU
are doing in San Francisco without the
support of your agricultural interests.
/ travelled through the Sacramento. the
San Joaquin. and the San Gabriel val
leys. and the mountains that border
them. and I found what ] have found
elsewhere, that the natural resources
are being wasted"
He said he had met only one man
the natural resources and added, 1T
may not surprise you, either, to learn
that he is a member of the United
States senate"
Pinchot declared that President
Roosevelt would be known in history
for two policies fair play and fore
sight.
Senator Newlands urged that a com
prehensive plan OF river Improvement
be adopted TO include channel deepen
ing and widening, reclamation, and ir-
rigatiOn.
Newlands called attention to the
necessity Of cooperative legislation by
the cities, states, and the nation to in
sure the development Of the streams
and the protection Of water rights for
the people.
PinchOt was the guest OF President
Wheeler of the state university yes
terday at luncheon at the St Francis
hotel He viii speak at Berkeley to-
day and viii leave for the east to-
morrow.