The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-09-09
CLIFFORD PiNcl4OT, FORMER
CHIEF FORESTER MAKES AD.
DRESS AT CONGRESS.
OUT 6f SWADDL|NC CLOTH
He Declares That Subject Has Passed
Out Of Realm Of Unimpeaehable
General Princi iple-PeopIe Believe in
1t Now--Discusscs Proposition in
Detail.

ST. lhul. Sept S.-Thc following ad
dress M,ls dc c.ivcrcd by Clifford pinchut
at the conservation congress here to-
day, fiis rcnutns Icing rep!etc in every
detail:
Like every great reform, conscrva
alon first pusscd through d period Of
agitation and general approval Dur
Ing this period II met with little op-
position. for as yet II lntcrferrcd with
no mans private profit From the be-
ginning OF the world the preaching of
righteousness III general terms has
been contemplated with entire cuua-
mlmiy by the men who rise In violent
protest the moment their particular
privilege, graft OF advantage comes
practically into question. That protest
marks the second phase Of the reform.
Within the last two years conser-
walton has passed out of the realm
nf an unin,pcachable general principle
into that Of practical fighting al
tempt to get things done. II has lie.
gun to step on the toes Of the benefit
cicrics and the prospective benclic-
aries Of unjust privilege, and the re-
snlting opposition, considering the
quarter whence II comes. Is one of the
best of proofs that conservation is a
live movement for the general good.
People Believe in 1t.
The peoplc believe IN conservation.
Now, When any great movement has
established itself 50 firmly In tho pub
lie mind that a direct attack upon ii
will not pay, the regular method IL to
approve II in general terms, and then
condemn It's methods and Its men. So
now the demand from the opponents
OF conservation Is not at all that We
shall abandon the principle OF the
graatcst good for us all for the longest
time In using our natural resources.
'rhe soft pedal conservationst
merely ask that conservation az app
piled shall be what they call rational,
safe and sane. Safe and sane egisla-
lion. AZ that expression IL used by the
men who use 1t most. means legislation
not unfriendiy to the continued control
of our public affairs by the special in
tercsts Safe and sane conservation,
;,s that expression IL used by these
same men. means conservation 50 care
IhHy SAcIlfiStu tIdl IL VIII NJ lH' SDf-
cial interests no harm ana the people
no good.
When II Began.
when the conservation movement
began to tell. II developed without de-
lay that the one great obstacle to
practical progress lay in the political
power Of the special interests. Every
effort to conserve any natural resource
for the general welfare was met by the
Legislative agents Of the men who
wanted to exploit it for their private
profit. The effort to get things done
in conservation taught w clearly. UNI
mistakabiy and with little delay. that
so long as the political domination of
the great business interests endures.
their corrupt control Of legislation will
carry with 1t the monYpolistlc control
of the natural resources also. This
is what we face today In the effort To
apply conservation.
'Thr fundamental principles Of con-
servatlon are few and simple One OF
the first Is that the natural resources
and natural advantages belong to all
the people. and should be developed,
protected and perpetuatcd directly for
the benefit OF all the people and not
mainly for the profit Of a few
Public Ownership.
another IL that the natural re-
useful for every purpose In which
are ncccssnrirs of life, like coal and
water power. should remain In public