Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1909-08-10
PAYS ROOSEVELT TRIBUTE
LAUDs AND DEFENDS THE POL.
lclEs OF THE EXPIRES
TDENT
ATTACKS ALLEGED TRUST
CHARGES COMBINATION is FORM
ING TO GRAB ALL WATER
POWER SITES

Spokane. Wash :. Aug. 1O.-When
Clifford Pinchot arose this morning to
address the National Irrigation con-
gress, the delegates gave him wild
ovation, lasting fully five minutes and
winding up with a burst of cheers.
He was preceded by T. J. Allen of
the forest service, who said it was
necessary to have state laws and en-
force them if the west was to pres
erve its forests. His speech was
heartily seconded by Mr.. Pinchot, who
in furthering this sentiment paid a
strong tribute to ex-President Roose-
yelt.
Silence fell over the congress as
Pinchot directly charged that water
power trust was in process Of forma-
tion and was appearing before the
convention in the person of its at
torneys, seeking to break down the op-
position to its ownership of all the
water power in the country. He
then plunged into his address with en-
thusiastic vigor. He said in part:
Home Building for Nation
"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 life. Therefore, no
other question concerns us more intl-
mately than the question of homes.
Permanent homes for ourselves. our
children, and our nation-this is the
central problem The policy of ma
tienal irrigation is of value to the
United States in very many ways, but
the greatest of all is this, tnat ma
tional irrigation multiplies the men
who own the land from which they
make their living. The old saying
who ever heard Of man shoulder
ing his gun to fight for his boarding
house." reflects this great truth, that
no man is so ready to defend his coun-
try, not only with arms, but with his
vote, and his contribution to public
opinion as the man with permanent
stake in it. as the man who owns the
land from which he makes his living.
eOnr country began as nation of
farmers. During the periods that
gave it its character when our inde-
pendence was won and when out
union was preserved, we were pre-em-
inently nation of farmers. We can
not, and we ought not. to continue ex-
clusively, or even chiefly, an agricui-
tural country, because one man can
raise enough food for many But the
farmer who owns his land is still the
backbone of this nation; and one of
the things we want most is more of
him..
Farmer Is Valuable. oec
'sThe man on the farm is valuable
to the nation, like any other citizen
just in proportion to his intelligence
character, ability and patriotism, but
unlike the other citizens. also in pro
portion to his attachment to the soil
That is the principal spring of his
steadiness, his sanity, his simplicity
and directness, and many of his
other desirable qualities. He is the
first of home-makers.
"The nation that will lead the
world win be nation of homes. The
object of the great conservation
movement is Just this, to make oul
country permanent and prosperous
home for ourselves and for our chill
dren. and for our children's children