The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-09-08
JAMES ]. HILL [
NOTED As
The Railroad King of the
Northwest Opposes Ma
tional Control of Re-
sources.
By United Press wire.

rate, opposed the Pinchot notion of
national control of the resources of
the country and favored state control.
The following is a summary of his
address,:
Every movement that affects per-
manenty nations life passes
through three stages First II is the
abstract idea. understood by n few.
Next II Is the subject Of agitation and
earnest general discussion. Third
after IL has won Its way to u sure
place In the national life. comes the
years of practical adaptation. MIS-
taxes and eXtravagances due to the
enthusiasm of friends or the malice
of enemies are corrected, details are
fitted to actual needs, the divine idea
Is harnessed to the common needs of
man. In this stage, which the con-
servation movement has now reach
ed, the most difficult and important
work must be done.
"Only few years have passed since
II first 6awned upon people who had
reveled in plenty for century that
the richest patrimony is not proof
against constant and careless waste,
that a nation of spenders must take
| thoubht loi itT ihVAioW Va NVih' ~
poverty. The first actual conserva-
ton work of this government was
done in forestry. following the exam
pie of European countries. 1t sooE
| became evident that our mineral re
sources should receive equal though
less urgent care. The supreme ini-
portance Of conserving the most i'm.
portant resource of all, the wealth of
\
"In an address delivered four years
ago this month before the Agrieul-
tural society of this state, ! first stat
| ed fully the problem that we have to
| meet and the method of its solution
With their general capacity for assim-
Hating new and valid thought, the
people of this country were soon inter
| csted. Pelief i'm comprehensive sys
| TEN of conservation OF all resources
has now taken possession of the pub
lie mind. What remains to be done
is that most difficult of all the tasks
| of statesmanship--the application Of
an accepted principle and mixing It
| conform In all its general outlines to
| the common good.
ITO pack the fact into single
statement, the need Of the hour ami
| the enl to which this congress should
| devote itself Is to conserve conserva
lion. 1t has run into that peril which
no great truth escapes, the danger
| that turks In the house of its friends.
| IL has been used TO forward those Sc
T.ous errors of policy; the extension os
| the powers and activities Of the ma
iional government at the expense OF
those of the states. The time is ripe
6nd this occasion Is most fitting for
distinguishing between real and fanci.
ful conservation, and for establishing
sound relation OF means to ends.
1--WE should first include certain
activities that come only indirectly
under the term conservation. The
reclamation service is one. Its work
is not preservation, but utilization.
The arid lands of this country have
been where tney ore now, the streams
have flowed past them uselessly
ever since Adam and Eve were in
the Garden of Eden. Irrigation was
practiced in prehistoric time What
we have to do is to bring modern
methods to the aid of one of the old
est agricultural arts. 1t Is mentioned
here because its progress illustrates
the dangers that beset conservation
projects proper.
'They are dangers inseparable
from national control and conduct OF
affairs. The machine Is too big ana
too distant; its operation Is SLOW,
cumbrous and complex So slow Is II
that settlers are waiting in distress
for water promised long ago. SO
faulty mas been the adjustment of
dime and money that congress has
had to authorize the issue of 20.000.-
900 of rational obligations to COM
plete projects still hanging In the air.
So expensive Is 1t that estimates have
been exceeded again and again The
settler has had either to pay more
than the cost figure he relied on or
seek cheaper land in Canada.
Toward the conservation OF our
mineral resources little can be done
by federal action. The output Is de-
termined not by the mine owner, but
ty the consumer. The withdrawal or
vast areas of supposed coal lands
tends TO increase price by restricting
the area. of possible supply. Nor can
such' deposit be utilized eventually eX-
cept under some such system as is
now employed. II Is foolish to talk
of leasing coal lands In small quanti-
ties in order to prevent monopoly.
Mining must be carried on upon a
large enough scale to be commercially
possible.
1.-THE attempted federal control of
water powers is Illegal. because the,
use of the waters within state is
the property Of the state and cannot
be taken from IT, and that the state
may and actually does, In the case
of Idaho for example. perfectly safe
guard it's water powers from monop-
oily and make them useful without
extortion, has been shown conclusive
ly by Senator Borah In a speech in
the United States senate. Back in
our history beyond the memory of
most men now living there was the