The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-06-16
THE SEATTLE STAR EDITORIAL AND MAGAZINE PAGE
BALLINGER BACKS Up

One thing has entered into the national mind never TO
depar-thc idea that the earth belongs to the people
The men back 81 the Roosevelt Conservation movement
are responsible for that Forestry reclamation waterway nm
proyemena these have ot their justification the great dea
that this planet on which live belongs to all OF us not some
OF us and that the nation whole is interested in the matter
OF the wasting or conservation OF coal and oil and gas ana
forests and soil aud streams
An the country went up in the air when Secretary Bal
lnger restored public entry the water power lands WIN
drawn from entry by his predecessor President Iaii was
given to understand by the protest Of the nation that II sin
rc water power so restored to entry should up in the
hands of the new water power trust his administration would
be historically disgaeed.
From every parto the land the cry went up, Stop Bal
lngerr
And he was stopped Either his better information
or the power OF public opinion the commands OF the pre
dent stopped him policy is being adopted WIN refer
enee to the power sites,
The former Withdrawals made requested by the
reclamation service When that department found stream
with power sites in the public domain it recommended that
the lands along it be Withdrawn from public entry so that the
power trust could have entered and thus despo the
people Of the mechanical energy which shall need IN the
future for light and heat and power When Balnger came
into office he procured from the reclamation service requests
for OF these lands and they were restored and
lay like precious diamonds ready or the FIRST conner to PICK up
When the protest OF people and press went rolling into
Washington Bainget 10 have seen his mistake More
he have reversed himself lie DID not Wtdfs"
the same lands had restored but he turned to the geological
survey which has records Of many water powers and asked
that service designate the actual lands the possession OF which
would the power sites and when these designations are
made the sites are withdrawn Better yet where the specific
sites arc not known lands all along believed TO afford
power Withdrawn while the geological survey works out The
profes Practically this is the policy OF Garfield
with the added accuracy lent by the work OF the geological
survey Followed eonseieuousy will do everything that
the Garfield policy did and For it many streams
the Garfield Withdrawals did cover and ought TO cover
all Of them completely while leaving open to entry much
land not aordng power sites which the blanket Withdrawals
Of Mr. Garfield necessarily covered.
Good 1t shows that honest protest IS never thrown
away.
The people will watch the policy with interest And
they should remember that Bange Withdrawals arc in aid
Of contemplated legislation That IS Bainger has withdrawn
these lands give congress chance to laws permanently
governing the disposal OF power sites II congress does not act
he may them enyand to loot Let the nation not
20 to sleep Let be active in constructive directions
as few weeks ago in protest Let din in the ears OF
It's congressman and the fact that the secretary has put
temporary lock the door but that will not always protect
the nations house OF power The permanen, lock and
bolt be supplied in laws to be passed by congress