East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-11-17
James r. Garfield and Charles
W. Elliot Advocate Govern
ment Control,
REFERENCE MADE TO
ALASKA COAL CASES
Former Secretary of Interior and
President of Harvard Delivers EN-
phatIc Addresses on Evils Of Mo
nopolies-Country I'm Imminent
Danger-Public Not Safeguarded I'm
Alaska-Water Power Should BE
Controlled by Legislation.

Cincinnati, Nov. 16.-Pleas for the
government regulation of monopolies
were voiced last night before the
joint convention of the National Mum
icipal league and the Americal Civic
association by former Secretary of the
Interior James r. Garfield
and by Charles w. Eliot. president
emeritus of Harvard. Both declared
that It was imperative that the gov
ernment take immediate steps for the
conservation of resources. Mr.. Gar
field said that the country's natural
resources were in immediate danger Of
exhaustion and that interests which
developed this source of national
wealth must be regulated.
Alaska Coal Lands Touched.
Mr.. Garfield also maintained that
the interests OF the people were not
being properly safeguarded in the
Alaska coal fields. and that legisla-
ton on that subject was urgently
needed.
He said in part:
"The permanent welfare of our ma
ton cannot be assured unless we, in
this generation. provide for the con-
ervation of our natural resources.
Hitherto we have been needlessly
wasteful We have been too much
occupied with the present; too little
with the future. The inventory of our
resources shows the immediate dan
ger Of their depletion or exhaustion.
Conservation is pre-emnently a
FOR he 81 o.
Exactly as the railroads are regulated
because they are public utilities. so
must interests that developed natural
resources be regulated because they
deal with public interests. Unfair
use or monopolization of either is in
tolerable.
Laws Are Inadequate.
I'm Alaska the coal area of a mill
lion acres has been withheld from
entry pending investigation. Laws
providing for the disposition of these
coal lands are not what they should
be.
Some improvements have been
made in recent years, but the rights
OF the public are not safeguarded.
None OF these lands should be dispos-
eQ Oh until leBlsldtlOI Is eldCltu WHICH
will provide method by which the
coal can be developed as II Is needed
under such regulations as will pre-
vent speculative or monopolistic
holdings by few great interests and
will yield to the nation fair none
tary return. Under a leasing system
all these conditions can be readily
improved.
Congress has wisely provided for
the great irrigation projects that have
been started, but there Is immediate
need OF legislation to control the use
and development of water power to
the end that, as with other resources
the public may. under n system OF
franchise or lease protect its own
great interests and obtain just COM
pensation.
THE great progress that has been
made through the recent years will
not be stopped. The people Of our
country will not tolerate any back
ward steps. They .domand' and will
see to It that their demand is needed.
that the great policy of conservation
shall bt 'u the interests of public
welfaro
Or 1t was equally emphatic.
"rNp sentiment Of preserving our
nat Al resources" he said, "has