Semi-weekly herald., 1910-09-01

tutional doubt, TO get one set of ju-
diciaI decisions which render IT. diff
cult for the nation 10 act. and another
set which render It impossible for the
state TO act In each case the priyi-
leged benehciaries OF the decision in
yoke the aid OF those who treat the
constitution not as a healthy aid TO
growth, but aR a fetish to prevent
growth: and they assail the advocates
OF wise and cautious progress rs be
ing opponents of the constitution. As
! have said before, | am a strong be-
lever in efficient national action,
where such action offers the best hope
OF securing and protecting the inter
ests of the whole people as against the
interests of few But | am emphat
ically in favor of state action, whore
state action can best serve this pur
pose; and | am no less emphatical
Is in favor of cordial and hearty co
operation between the nation and the
states where their duties are Identical
to develop.
"If there is ore thing which Is
more unwise than another, it is the
creation by legislative, by executive,
or by judicial action of neutral
ground in which neither the state nor
the nation has power. and which can
serve as a place of refuge for the law
less man, and especially for the law
less man OF great wealth, who can
hire the best legal counsel TO advise
him how to keep his abiding place
equally distant from the uncertain
frontiers OF both state and national
power.
Il am here at the invitation OF the
Colorado Livestock association, and
l desire to express my appreciation Of
their steadfast stand for deceney and
progress in the handling of public
lands and national forests. They
have met and overcome the nnrelent
ing opposition Of some Of the most in
fllential stookmen Of the stale; they
have won because they have been
right. | want to express also my ap.
probation OF the work Of the Ameri
can National Livestock association.
1t has been one of the really import
ant forces working toward effective
railway regulation, while its support
of the policy of federal range control
has given it large place In national
affairs. As an old-time stoclsman
realize that the present order OF
things on the open range cannot con
tlnue, and the sure way to protect
the range Itself prevent the increase
of big outfits, promote the equitable
use of the grazing lands, and foster
genuine homestead settlement, is 10
extend over the open range a system
OF range control somewhat similar to
that now in effect on the national for
ests.
Whatever system Of range control
may be adopted in detail, there are
two things it must not do It must
not handicap or exclude the small
man by requiring him to spend more
money for fences than he can afford,
and it must leave every acre that can
be settled by bona fde homesteaders
freely open to such settlement.
81 do not believe that single acre
OF our public lands should hereafter
pass into private ownership except
for the single purpose of homestead
settlement, and | know that the stock
men stand with me in their desire
to remove every obstacle from the
path of the genuine homesteader and
to put every possible obstacle in the
pathway of the man who tries to get
public lands by misrepresentation or
faud. This is absolutely necessary
on the agricultural lands 1t is at
least equally necessary on the mineral
lands. It would be a calamity, whose
baleful effect on the average citizen
we can scarcely exaggerate, if the
great stores of coal and other mineral
fuels still owned by the people in
Alaska and elsewhere should pass into
the unregulated ownership of monopo-
listic corporations.
You progressive stockman have
stood heartily by the conservation
movement, and with you have stood
many others throughout the west, to
whom large credit IS due, such as
the lumbermen in Washington and
Oregon. the irrigators in California,
and the supporters OF the country life
movement in and around Spokane /
want 10 make my acknowledgements
in particular % the Colorado Forestry
association. Shicn has supported the
forest work of the government with
such unse.tsh zeal. The forest serv-
ice has enmies because 1t is offeo
tive Sore OF rs hest work has been
met by the bitterest opposition. For
example, II has done real service
Iby blocking The road against the grab.
bers Of water power, and again by
standing like a rock against the de
mands of bogus mining concerns to
exploit the national forests. | have
always done my best to help the gen.
uine miner. believe that one of the
first duties OF the government is to
on courage honest mining on the pub.