Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-05
COME OUT INTO
OPEN IS DEMAND
TO POWER MEN
CLIFFORD PINCROT OUTLINES
HIS POLICY TO CITY CLUB
TELLS HOW PUBLIC DOMAIN is
GRABBED FOR PRIVATE UsE
"Force Them Into the Open in Fair
and Square Fight" Declares Man
In Charge Of Forest
Reserves

reserves
When F. G. Finlayson, first vice pres
dent of the City club, introduced Gift
ford Pinchot as the man to whom Los
Angeles owes debt 1t does not realize
for making the Owens river project
! possible, 400 deeply interested men who
| had gathered at the City club yester-
day to hear Mr.. Pinchot rose to their
| feet and with prolonged applause and
| napkins waving gave him an ovation
that few speakers before this organiza-
| ton have received.
Pinchots popularity was attested
| from the minute he stepped inside the
door of the big dining room at the
| Westminster, where the City club had
| gathered for the regular weekly lunch
| con. He was greeted with applause
that showed the place he> holds in the
minds and hearts of the citizens who
compose the club, and while he was
speaking, after lunch, his every period
| was received with a demonstration that
told he was hitting home.
IF l have done anything to help In
the Owens river project, it has been
more than repaid by the reception I
have had today" said Mr.. Pinchot,
But 1 also have some other matters
| to be grateful for.
Aided In Southland
"At a conference today between state
and city authorities it was agreed that
nothing more would be asked of us,
| and that we would receive the hearth
est cooperation in the work of con-
servation. We have been having some
thing of a fight in congress to main
| tain what the city wants, and further
demands would be somewhat embar-
RAISING. This attitude is especially
grateful at this time, when so many
| have adopted an opposite policy.
Nowhere in the United States has
forest conservation received such hearty
| cooperation as right here in Southern
| California. Nowhere have we received
| such splendid support. and you people
are making good by helping to pay for
| this conservation. which is the best
kind of proof that you mean what you
say. You people are putting about as
much money into the work as the for
estry service itself.
"There is one thing of especial inter
est to you people in the conservation of
our natural resources. The line is be-
| ing sharply and rapidly drawn between
those who stand for good government
for all and those who stand for any
kind of government with special privi-
leges for the few. This club stands
sqooi ely oi lllo sius VI soou govern
| ment.
Pleads for Square Deal
at strikes me that a measure or
policy either is in the interests of the
| plain American citizen or it is not. 1t
| is easy to answer that question, yes
| or no. What we know as the Roose-
welt policies more especially concern
J the plain citizen. The square deal,
which is represented by the Roosevelt
policies, Is two-ended proposition. 1t
must be a square deal for the citizen
and for the moneyed interests. The
method of applying that square deal is
| becoming more and more understood
| The time has come for men to stand up
and be counted on one side or the other
And they will stand up for the right as
the facts become better known. With
out undertaking, 1 believe these facts
| should be made public.
"One great fight is coming up in the
next congress. This is the water power
problem. For years the fight has been
going on quietly between the power
companies and the people. This fight
| must be settled in the next congress be-
cause of the large tracts of the public
| domain that have been withdrawn for
power development.
"This power development is a most
| serious matter, for the men who con-
troll the water power will in the end
| control all industry unless they are
themselves controlled by the govern
| ment.
Fair Compensation Urged
'Let these power companies hold their
1 rights temporarily, make regular reports to
the people by whose grace they hold these
rights. and pay the people fair compensa-
| tion for the privileges they get from the
people. 1t has been the habit of these power
companies to send to the various c0nven-
tions where matters of this kind are under
known as such, and 1t has been the work
| of these representatives to attempt to in
| fuence these conventions for the power in
terests These companies have the right to
come out in the open and make their de-
mands, but they have no right to work in
disguise.
"These companies must come out in
| the open and fight fairly and squarely,
and as 1t becomes more generally
known what they want it will be easier
for the people to run their own business
on their own lines.
"There are two sides to the conserva-
| tion movement
1.-THE one is-Shall we have our natu-
raj resources conserved for the benefit
and prosperity of our descendants?
"The other is--Shall they be held not
for the benefit of the many but the
| few?
Real Hope of Future
I'VE shall come as a nation to know
| that the conservation of our natural
resources is the hope of the future. We
will see that the people who control
these resources should be controlled by
the whole people. The conservation
policy works out in national efficiency.
All these policies converge to the single
| point.
"It is these policies that we have
come to know as Roosevelt policies
But they are not alone Roosevelt poll
| cies. They are Taft policies as well.
Taft has made clear that he is most
solemnly pledged to carry out these
policies; but, more important. they
have been adopted in the minds and
hearts of the common people. The old
ideas of politics are disappearing rap
idly, and the issues we are coming to-
see are the real, vital issues.
"I don't like to run the risk OF being
considered an alarmlst. 1 don't believe
that what am going to outline will
ever happen, but it is best sometimes
for us to look on the other side. We
have seen great trusts growing up and
capital concentrating at a few points.
"Suppose the rest of our resources
should fall into the hands of one man,
as has been the case with oil! Suppose