Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-29
TAFT NOT T0DE[AY
CONSERVAT|0NPLAN
BaIIinger-Pinchot Inquiry Will
Have No Effect on Spe-
ciaI Message.
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR
IS FRAMING LEGISLATION
President Expects Congress to Act
at This Session.
SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN FEW
Failure of Interests to Define Their
Views as to Proper Laws, Criti-
cised by President as a
Grave Neglect
President Expects Congress to Act
at This Session.
SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN FEW

If President Taft adheres to present in
tention he will not await the con-
cIusion of the congressional inquiry into
the Ballinger-Pinchot controversy before
sending to Congress his special message
on the conservation of natural resources
The President is expected to begin the
preparation of his conservation message
just as soon as he has finished with the
message dealing with proposed amend
ments TO the interstate commerce and
antitrust acts upon which he is now en-
gagged.
Furthermore. it can be authoritatively
stated that Mr.. Taft is confident that the
conservation legislation he proposes will
be enacted into law before the present
session of Congress ends.
First Adequate Legislation.
The proposed statutes-the first that
ever have dealt adequately with the nat
ural resources. friends Of the administra-
ton declare, will be President Tafts
answer to SO much of the criticism as has
been directed against him.
Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota,
chairman of the Senate committee on
public lands, is cooperating with Presi-
dent Taft in the matter of the conServa-
tion laws. and has assured him that there
will be no difficulty in putting the new
laws through the Senate. In the House
there is likely to be some opposition. but
hot t%o
overcome and that the laws will stand
approved before the summer comes.
White House callers who have talked
with President Taft on the subject say
the President considers he will best prove
his friendship for the Roosevelt policies
of conservation by putting laws on the
statute books that will actually carry
these policies into effect.
Lawmaking Is Next.
Mr. Taft is represented as believing
that the campaign of education carried
On by President Roosevelt was complete,
and that there no longer is any need Of
exhorting the people to the necessity OF
conserving the resources of the nation
He Is further represented as taking the
position that the people are perhaps
little tired OF the entertainment afforded
by indiscriminate denunciation and vague
charges. and are ready for action.
To this end. 1t is said in the Presi-
dents behalf, that he has refrained from
entering into the platform discussion
going on for some time and carried for
ward by representatives Of one branch Of
the government service that will be in
cluded in the congressional investigation
of the Interior Department and the land
office
Little or no help according to those
close to the administration, has come
to the President from the many people
who have joined in the controversy in the
role of critics 1t is said the President
feels not a little put out with the various
bodies and conventions that have been so
free with praise and condemnation. and
yet have not offered a suggestion Of sat
isfactory solution of one OF the greatest
problems that confronts the administra-
ton.
Work Worth While Neglected.
The President considers that if these
conventions had devoted themselves to a
discussion of ways and means Of con-
serving the resources and dispoSing Of
the public lands under proper rules and
remuneration, instead of too denunciatory
speeches and resolutions. great deal
more would have been gaind and they
would have stood higher in the estimation
OF the people.
The problem that confronts the gov
ernment is how best to dispose of the
lands containing water power sites, coal
and phosphates. The public lands con-
tanning these sites and minerals have
been withdrawn from entry under the
lor h,,t
held Indefinitely. and there is no spe-
cific law governing their sale or lease
II is admitted that the resources must
be developed; that the coal and phos-
pilates must be taken out by private
capital. and yet there must be safeguards
against monopoly. The problem is one
full of intricacies that must be worked
out and effectively dealt with
The President, 1t is said has looked in
vain for definite suggestions along the
lines of needed legislation, speeches and
statements recently made by pronounced
friends OF conservation.
Ballinger Framing Laws.
Mr.. Taft now has before him the drafts
of several statutes designed for conserv-
ing the valuable resources of the govern
ment ard for the disposition of the lands
under terms that meet the PRESIDENT 4
ideas as to fairness and justice
During all the turmoil of the recent con-
troversy and the attacks that have been
made upon him. Secretary Of the Interior
Baliinger has been working quietly. un-
der the Presidents direction on the de-
tails of the proposed laws. He is reported
TO have gone thoroughly into the subject
and is said by the President to be the
first to devise laws that adequately will
deal with the subject of conservation.
Senator Nelson has been freely con-
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