Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-18
A CLASH Of VIEWS
Some OF the Standpat Element
OF Congress Does Not Favor
Conservation Plans
INTERESTS At VARIANCE
Different Sections Of Country Anxious
to Promote Pet Waterway Schemes
Actual Work Will Be Started Soon
Definite Recommendations to Be
Made by Commission.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Nov. 17.-There is now
certainty of a sharp clash of two alb
solutely opposing views of the ques-
ton Of conserving and developing
natural 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 prac-
teal work started at the coming ses-
sion Of congress, and all over the
country forces are being organized for
renewal OF the. campaign for internal
waterway Development.
Something like an alliance Of the
waterway movements in different sec
lions of the country is being perfected.
The Mississippi valley people want the
lakes -and-gulf project pressed. The
Missouri valley people are not ex-
cited about this. but they do want the
Missouri river to get attention and i'm
provement. The eastern people are
looking for their slice in the form of
the great coast-wise interior water
way, to be formed by connecting the
Chesapeake and Delaware bays. the
Delaware river and other waterways
and making a great water highway
parallel to the coast. It is evident that
vast contract in log-rolling is going
to be taken on by the conservation
advocates. Every section wants its
slice, and apparently all will have to be
included before any can win.
Representative Hull, of Iowa, frank
ly expressed this view in discussing
the demands of the middle west. He
said the work that ought to be author
lied now is thorough study and sur
vey of the whole field, with view to
determining just how to proceed. what
projects are practical and what are
not, and in what order they should be
taken up He indicates plainly that all
sections will have to get consideration
together. No one locality is going to
receive millions for a great pet project,
such as the lakes and-gulf scheme,
without the others being looked after.
All this involves spending an i'm
over a long period. With the deficit in
revenues giving concern already and
threatening seriously to complicate tar
III revision and to compel the ways and
means authorities to devise new reven-
ue plans, it is plain enough that there
will be long debate on any proposal
to inaugurate the conservation work.
Will Start Things Soon.
Meanwhile the national conservation
commission expects to get at practical
things in the near future. Thus far it's
work has been mainly in the nature OF
propaganda. Everybody admits its
purpose is commendable, but more
must be done than hold conventions
and inspire newspaper and magazine
articles.
The work Of propaganda has gone
forward more effectually and continu-
ously since the national conservation
commits sion was named in June. The
commission was really a uniting OF &C
tivities along several lines-a harness.
ing together of the waterways move
ment with the general project of con-
serving resources. The older inlands
waterways commission became the di-
VISION Cl WdLCTS uuuSl lllS SOuSSi Ne1lAO.A
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, when the whole conservation
movement was too warmly Endorsed.
The commission decided its first
work should Re taking stock Of wa
tors. forests, iards and minerals. That
inventory has been completed. 1t has
brought to getf1er the most useful col
lection Of facts about natural resources
ever assembled. Reports present the
hard facts; acreages Of land, board
feet Of timber, tons Of coal in the
ground, power of water in streams
Probable Recommendations.
With the inventory before it, the
commission will meet here Dec. and
consider the practical steps to be TAX
en- next. On Dec. 8 the governors Of
the states will come for another con-
ference on the strictly practical work
ahead BY January 1 the national COM
mission will submit to President
Roosevelt the inventory and recon-
based on it. There will be
q separate report on waterways.