The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-06

Miss Mabel Boardman. Head of the
Red Cross Society, Who Addressed
the Conservation Congress on s'COn-
servatiOn the Principle of the Red
CrOss.''
Two hours before Colonel Roose-
welt arrived at the auditorium the
crowd began to file into the building.
to the general public and within five
minutes there was only standing room
left That was soon taken and the
immense hall was packed.
President Baker called the meeting
to order and called for reports on the
committee on resolutions, pending the
arrival of Colonel Roosevelt, who was
holding a conference in the st. Paul
hotel with the newspaper men.
Colonel Roosevelt spoke as follows:
Roosevelt's Address.
Americas reputation for efficiency
stands deservedly high throughout the
world We are efficient probably to the
full limit that any nation can attain
by the methods hitherto used. There Is
great reason to be proud of our achieve
ments, and yet no reason to believe that
we cannot excel our past. Through
practically unrestrained individualism,
we have reached a pitch of literary un-
exampIed material prosperity; although
the OIL IHlS PIOSPCAlIJ ACcSNNS
much to be desired from the standpoint
of Justice and fair dealing. But we
have not only allowed the individual
free hand which was in the main
right: we have also allowed great cor
porations to act as though they were
individuals, and to exercise the rights
of individuals in addition to using the
vast combined power OF high aorganiza-
ton and enormous wealth for their own
advantage. This development of cor
fc 6n11E in
large part responsible for the gigantic
| development of our natural resources,
hut it is not less responsible for waste,
| destruction, and monopoly on an equal
| ly gigantic scale.
! TIE method of reckless and uncon-
trolled private use and waste has done
! for us all the good it ever can, and it
| is time to put an end to it before 1t
does all the evil it easily may. We
| have passed the time when needless
waste and destruction, and arrogant
monopoly, are any longer permissible.
Henceforth we must seek national efh-
cheney by a new and a better way, by
the way of the orderly development and
use coupled with the preservation, of
our natural resources, by making the
most of what we have for the benefit
of all of us instead of leaving the
sources of material prosperity open to
indiscrimiate exploitation. These are
some of the reasons why it is wise that
we SlOulu dDduOOI lllS OlQ punt VI
view, and why conservation has be-
come q patriotic duty.
Waterways.
One of the greatest of our conserva-
| tion problems is the wise and prompt
development and use of the waterways
of this nation. The Twin Cities, lying
as they do at the headwaters of the
| Mississippi, are not upon the direct line
of the proposed lakes to the gulf deep
| waterway. Yet they are deeply inter-
| ested in it's prompt completion, as well
| as in the deepening and regulation of the
| Mississippi to the mouth of the Mis-
| souri, and to the gulf. The project for
a great trunk waterway, an arm of the
| sea, extending from the Gulf of Mexico
| to the Great Lakes, should not be
abandoned. The lakes to the gulf deep
| waterway, and the development of the
rivers which flow into it, should be
pushed to completion vigorously and
| without delay. But we must recognize
at the outset that there are certain
conditions without which the people
/ cannot hope to derive from it the bene-
fits they have a right to expect.
In nearly every river city from st.
Paul to the gulf the water front is con-
trolled by the railways. Nearly every
! artificial waterway in the United States,
| either directly or indirectly, is under
the same control. 1t goes without say
! ing that (unless the people prevent it
! in advance) the railways will attempt
1 to take control of our waterways as
! fast as they are improved and COM
| pleted; nor would 1 blame them, if We,
! the people, are Supine in the matter.
! We must see to it that adequate termi-
| nails are provided in every city and
| town on every improved waterway,
! terminals open under reasonable condi-
| tions to the use of every citizen, and
rigidly protected against monopoly;
and we must compel the railways to
| cooperate with the waterways contin-
uously, effectively, and under reason
| able conditions. Unless we do SO the
railway lines will refuse to deliver
freight to the boat lines, either openly
or by imposing prohibitory conditions,
| and the waterways once improved will
| do comparatively little for the benefit
of the people who pay the bill.
Adequate terminals properly con-
| trolled and open through lines by rail
and boat are two absolutely essential
| conditions to the usefulness of inland
waterway development 1 believe fur
thermore that the railways should be
| prohibited from owning, controlling or
| carrying any interest in the boat lines
on our rivers, unless under the strict
est regulation and control of the inter-
| state commerce commission, SO that
the shippers interests may be fully
protected.
The National Forests.
The people of the United States be-
lieve in the complete and rounded de-