The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-10
PINCHOT DECLARES
WAR ON BALLINGER
Chief United States Forester in Ringing Speech to the
irrigation Congress, Throws Down the Gaunt-
let to the Secretary of the Interior

SPOKANE, Aug. Astounding the
FIRST note of open warfare with Secre-
tary Ballinger. upholding the Roosevelt
reclamation and conservation policies.
and denouncing the administration of
law by technicahties. Chief United
States Forester Gifferd Pinchot set the
irrigation congress agog in an address
this morning
This address appears to have brought
the issue squarely up TO the congress.
The resolution committee reported resO-
buttons on the subject are pouring in
upon them. and everyone is awaiting
with keen interest Secretary BallingeT s
appearance tomorrow.
Pinchots Address.
Pinchot said:
The most valuable citizen of this or
any other country Is the man who
owns the land from which he makes
his living. No other man has such a
stake in the country. No other man
lends such steadiness and stability TO
our national lite. Therefore. no other
question concerns US more intimately
than the question OF homes. Permanent
homes for ourselves, our children, and
our nation-this is the central problem.
The policy OF national irrigation is OF
value TO the United States in very many
ways. but the greatest OF ali is this,
that national irrigation multiplies the
men who own the land from which they
make their living.
Our country began as a nation Of
farmers. During the periods that gave
it its character, when our independence
was Won and when our union was pre-
served, we were pre-eminently a nation
Of farmers. We can not and we ought
not TO continue exclusively. or even
chiefly, an agricultural country. because
one man can raise food enough for
many. But the farmer who owns his
land is still he backbone of this nation;
and one of the things we want most is
more Of him.
The nation that will lead the world
VIII be a nation Of homes. The object
OF the great conservation movement is
just this. 10 make our country a per
manent and prosperous home for our
selves and for cur children, and for our |
children's children. and it is task that /
IS worth the best thought and effort Of 4
any and all of US.
To achieve this or any other great re-
suit, straight thinking and strong action /
are necessary.
RooseveIt's Idea.
The first thing We. need in this conn
try, as President Roosevelt so well set
forth in that great message which told /
what he had been trying to do for the /
american people, is equality Of oppor-
tunity for every citizen. No man should |
have less, and no man ought 70 ask for /
any more. Equality Of opportunity is /
the real object Of our laws and institu- i
tons. Our institutions and our laws /
are not valuable in themselves. They |
q -e valuable only because they secure /
equality Of opportunity for happiness
and welfare for our citizens. An in
Etitution or a law is a means. not am
end, means 10 be used for the public
good 70 be modified FOR the public good
and 10 be interpreted for the public |
good.
one Of the great reasons why Presi- |
dent Roosevelt's Administration was OF |
sucn enormous value 10 the plain /
american was that he understood what /
81 Paul meant when he said. The /
letter killeth but the spirit giveth life
follow bllndly the letter Of the law. /
or the form Of an institution, without i
intelligent regard both for its spirit and I
for the public welfare. is very nearly 4
as dangerous as 20 disregard the law
altogether. What we need Is the use 4
Of the law for the public good, and the /
construction Of II for the public vel /
fare
II goes without saving that the law
is supreme ana must be obeyed. our |
civilization rests on obedience 10 law
But the law is not absolute. It REQUIRES
10 be construed. Rigid construction Of i
the law works. and must work. in the /
vast ma jOrity of cases, for the benefit 1
IF the men who can hire the best Ia "
Eers and who have the sources of In
huence in law-making az their com
mand- Strict construction necessarily
favOrs the great interests as against /
the people. and in the long run can not /
Do otherwise.
wise execution Of the law must con-
slider what the law ought 10 accomplish /
rresslve trusts exist because of sub
EerTient lawmakers ana z-lrnit legal
construction. Here IS the central strong
hold OF the money power ia the ever
lasting conflict Of the few 20 grab, and
the many 10 keep or win the rights thev
were born with. Legal techuicalities
seldom help the people. The people, not
the law, should have the benefit Of
every doubt
The Square Deal.
Equality Of opportunity square deal
for every man. the protection Of the
citizen against the great concentrations
Of capital the intelligent use OF laws
and Institutions for the public good, and
the conservation Of our natural re-
sources. not for the trusts but for the
people; these are real issues and real
problems. Upon such things az these