The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-19


Wants Timber Conserved.
We want our timber conserved. but we
want to conserve In rational manner.
Timber that has matured should be sold,
and cut-over areas that are adapted 40
agriculture should be opened 10 entry
Reserves that include the mountain
ranges and watersheds Will conserve our
water supply. but II is unjust to create
reserves that extend to the lower cleva
tiens and include thousands Of acres OF
valuable farming land such as is the case
with the existing reserves In our state
This interested area should never have
been included In The reserves; II should
have been left open for settlement and
the use for which it is adapted. that Is.
farming and fruit raising. No good pur-
pose Is subserved by keeping 1t from I'M
provement. On the contrary, n direct
handicap has been placed on the develop
menr of the state
The one possible substitute we have at
the present time for coal in its use In
the industries is water power And many
are now clamoring that the government
withdraw the available water-power sites
from entry. course that has been pur-
sued for the past two years.
AS to Water Power.
or the 10000, 900 horsepower now uti-
lized in the industries IN this country,
but about 5000. 900 horsepower is deyel-
OF the remainder by the use Of coal. The
estimates of the possible water power
development are unreIla Bile. but. without
question. at least twice as much power
can he developed from water i'll the
United States as is now used altogether
in this country. In The Columbia river
basin alone. including Montana, Idaho,
Washington and Oregon. over 1000, 900
horsepower can be developed,
Is II practical conservation that pre-
vents development of this power when
the danger of coal exhaustion Is declared
TO be so imminent?
There Is another and very grave aspect
to power site Withdrawals: The water OF
the streams from which the power must
sites are held by the federal government
This is where the conflict of jurisdiction
between the states and the federal gov
ernment arises. Tho policy of federal
control OF water power Is advocated that
the vast revenue expected therefrom may
flow into the federal treasury. Is that
Justice TO the states? Is fl fair not only
10 deprive the states OF appreCiable reye~
nue. from vast areas within their borders
included In forest reserves and at the
same time assert control over resource
Which belongs solely 10 them and divert
the revenue therefrom away from the
states? WIN not the nation benefit sufd-
clcntly through the great additional
wealth: strength and vigor that would
come from proper development of the
resources within these states. and the
fun and free growth of republican ins,!-
tutions therein? Why should we, who
have been admitted on an equal footing
with the other states OF the union, be
dominated by bureaucratic control OF our
industrial and commercial life. control
that would place us on footing inferior
10 the territories; yes, on a plane little
better than our island dependencies?
Loyal and Patriotic.
As citizens Of state we are not, less
honest. efficient, or less patriotic than
we are ms citizens of the nation. The
western states will never yield their re-
sources Into the hands OF mouopolies or
give unrestricted possession TO the in
terests. We propose that our resources
shall he developed by the people for the
general coed. but we have to exercise
the functions of government out here.
and those functions cannot he exercised
without cost The more we grow and
the larger becomes our commercial and
industrial development, the more costly
becomes the conduct OF state govern
ment. II is absurd and preposterous to
expect us to tax ourselves 10 make pos.
sible greater growth and consequent
utilization of the natural resources that
The eVer-lncreaslng revenues from those
resources-cnhanced in value by reason
of our growth-shall go 10 the federal
treasury, The western states will need
Whatever revenues II is possible to de-
rive from their water power, and they
will also need and. by every consldera-
ton Of right and justice deserve. large
" Increased proportions OF the revenues
derived from the national reserves,
The idea that. we are incapable az
states CT properly conserving our own
resources is a gratuitous insult. State
efficiency In this regard will gain re-
spect by comparison with federal enter
prise wherever comparison is possible,
Demand Recognition.
What we ask is that the balance of the
nation recognize us as members of the
sist ,rhood OF states and not look upon
us as dependencies, fiji only to be ex-
plotted for the sake OF revenue. We are
sovereign states. and as such desire most
earnestly to cooperate with the nation
al government in the conservation of all
the natural resources, There Is "A dis
tinctton between the terms "nationalv
resources and natural" resources, As
states, we cannot exercise control over
the national resources and will be glad
to see those resources nationally con-
as water power, that belong to the
states, should be controlled and con-
served by the states. There need be no
conflict Of jurisdiction. and there will
be none IL justice prevails. In conserv-
Ing our own resources we will provide
equal opportunities for all, that devel-
opment may so on without hindrance
and we ask that the federal government
pursue similar course. 1t is necessary
best interests OF the nation.
The strength OF the nation rests on
the vlgor and efficiency of its various
units, the states. Only through the ex-
ercise OF the responsibility OF all their
functions can full vigor
and efficiency OF the states be main
taincd. We say TO the nation there =
fore. do not sap our vitality as states by
cncroachments upon our prerogatives or
4 lDSOTOtlOl