The Dickinson press., 1910-09-10

UkUAY,rSEPTEMBER 1o,@1oIu
to be of assistance to others. there are
problems of our own which we must
not overlook. One of the most I'M
portant conservation questions Of the
moment relates to the control of wa
ter power monopoly In the public In
terest; a3 { 4. rpsI +.
There Is apparent to the jrdicious
observer "a distinct tendency Ion tho
part of our opponents to cloud the q.
sue by raising the question of, state as
against federal Jurisdiction. We are
ready t., meet that issue It IL H. forced
npon us. But there Is no hope for the
plain people in such conflicts Of. juris-
diction, ,a.7r. a, 81.
The essential question Is not n Of
hair splitting legal technicalittes. It Is
Isimply this: Who can best regulate
the special, interests for the public
good? .t.ss.- - . .e. h..
Most Of the predatory corporations
are, interstate n have interstate afal-
atoms. therefore they are largely out
Of reach Of effective state control and
fall Of necessity within the federal ju-
risdiction- One Of the prime objects
Of those among them that are grasp
ing and greedy is to avoid any etrec-
tive control either by state or nation,
and they advocate at this time state
control simply because they believe 1t
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 is why l so strongly oppose
the demand to turn these matters over
to the states. 1t Is fundamentally a
demand against the interest Of the
plain people, Of the people of small
means, against the interest Of our chill
dren and u children's children, and
it is primarily in the interest Of the
great corporations, which desire to es,
cape all government control.
Tho Conservation Fight.
One of the difficulties in putting into
practice the conservation idea is that
the field to which it applies is con-
stantly growing in the public mind.
1t has been no slight task to bring be-
fore 100,OO0,O00 people a great con-
ception 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 misrepre.
sentation by the men to whose interest
1t is that conservation should not pros
per.
For example, we find 1t constantly
said by men who should know better
that temporary withdra walls. such as
the Withdrawals of coal lands. will per.
manently check development.
Y Yet the fact is that these withdraw
4 ais have no purpose except to prevent
Etkef coal lands from passing into pri.
EEate ownership until congress can pass
laws to open them to development un-
der conditions just alike to the public
and to the men who will do the de-
veloping.
If there is delay the responsibility
for it rests not on the men who made
the Withdrawals to protect the pub.
lie interest, but on those who prevent
congress from passing wise legislation
and so putting an end to the need for
Withdrawals. - :
i We have a right to congratulate our
/ selves on.this marvellous progress. But
there Is 10 reason for believing that
the fight Is o 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 II It won they might lose. But
with the progress Of conservation III
the minds Of u people the fight Is
getting sharper.
The nearer we approach t victory
the bitterer the opposition that we
must meet and the greater the need
for caution and watchfulness. Open
opposition we can overcome, but l.
warn you especially against the men
who come to congresses such as this.
o%stensibly as disinterested citizens.
but actually as the paid agents of the
special interests.
I heartily approve the attitude of any
corporation. interested in the deliber-
~ations Of a meeting such as this, which
comes hlther to advocate by its openly
accredited agents views which it be-
heyes the meeting should have in
mind. But I condemn with equal read
incss the appearance of a corporate
agent before any convention who does
not declare himself frankly as such.
This congress Is a direct appeal to
the patriotism of our whole people.
The nation wisely looks to such gath.
erings for counsel and leadership. Let
that leadership be sound. definite.