The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-09-08

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pEobasms q OF OxS r wsl5 = I 1 ~
not overlook Ons Of tn mod IN
portant conservation questions On tn
moment relates to the cont1nS o9 VA
ter power monopoly In the public u.
teresf.
There IL apparent to ths judiciDhs
observer distinct tendency Oh the
part Of our opponents to CLOUD tho r.
sue by raising the question Of state q
against federal Jurisdiction We are
ready to meet that issue it IL Is forced
upon US. But there is no hope for the
plain people in such conflicts of turts-
diction.
The ESSENTIAL question Is not one of
hair splitting legal technicalitdes. Il Ia
simply this: Who can best regulate
the special interests for the public
good?
Most Of the predatory corporations
are interstate or have interstate afau-
atoms; therefore they are largely out
Of reach Of effective state control and
fall Of necessity within the federal ju-
nsdiction. One of the prime objocts
of those among them that are grasp
ing and greedy is to avoid any enec-
tive control either by state or nation,
and they advocate at this time state
control simply because they believe It
to be the least effective.
In the great fight of the people to
drive the special interests from the
domination OF our government the ma
ton is stronger and its jurisdiction is
more effective than that of any state
The most effective weapon against
these great corporations, most of
which are financed and owned on the
Atlantic coast, will be federal laws
and the federal executive.
That Ks why 1 so strongly oppose
the demand to turn these matters over
TO the states. It Is fundamentally a.
demand against the interest ok the
plain people, Of the people Of small
means, against the interest Of our chill
dren and our children's children, and
It h primarily in the interest Of the
great corporations, which desire to a.
c0pe all government control.
Tho Conservation FiSlse.
One of the difficulties IN quitting into
practice the conservation idea = that
the field to which it applies y con-
SANITY growing in the pubic mind.
It has been no slight task to bring be-
nnre 100,OO0,OOO people great con
caption like that Of conservation and
convince them that it is right.
This much we have accomplished
But there remain much to be cleared
up and many misunderstanding to be-
removed. These misunderstanding are|
due in part at least to direct mtsrepre-
sentation by the men to whose interest
It "a that conservation should not pros
per.
For example, We find It constantly
said by men who should know better
that temporary Withdrawals, such as
the Withdrawals of coal lands, Won per-
manently check development.
Yet the fact is that these withdrew
ais have no purpose except 10 prevent
the coal lands from passing into pri-
vats ownership until congress can pass
laws to open them to development IN
der conditions just alike to the public
and to the men who will do the de-
velopfng. -'i
II there Is delay the responsibility
for 1t rests not on the men who made
The Withdrawals to protect the pub.
lie interest, but on those who ptevent
congress from passing wise legislation
and so putting an end to the need for
Withdrawals.
We have right to congratulate our
selves on this marvellous progress. But
there is no reason for believing that
the fight is won. In the beginning the
special interests, who are our chief op-
ponents in the conservation fight, paid
little heed to the movement, because
they neither understood it nor saw
that Il it won they might lose. But
with the progress Of conservation in
the minds of our people the fight Is
getting sharper.
The nearer we approach to victory
the bitterer the opposition that We
must meet and the greater the need
Tor caution and watchfulness. Open
oppodtion we can overcome, but l
warn you especially against the men
who come to congresses such % this.
nafamsih1v "a R%sfntosarAnd rAfizons