The new era., 1910-09-15

can IypuOuC0 ~ Tue u0k0 w 080s 40Y
cases In which We have faiisA shoulA bs
NO less instructive than Tie cases n
which We have succeeded. With pFomDt
action and good viii the task Of saving
the resources for the people 10 full o1
hope for us all.
State and Federal Control.
But while We of the United States are
anxious. az I believe We are able. to b
OF assistance to others, there are prob
lens Of our own which we must not over
look. One of the most important con-
servation questions of the lomsnt relates
to the control of water power monopoly
in the public interest. There IL apparent
to the judicious observer distinct ten-
dency on the part of our opponents to
cloud the issue by raising the question Of
state as against federal Jurisdiction. We
are ready to meet that issue II 1t II forced
upon u.s. But there is no hope for the
plain people in such conflicts Of jurisdic-
ton. The essential question IL not one
of hair-splitting legal technicallties. 1t II
simply this: Who can best regulate the
special interests for the public Goodf
Most of the predatory corporations are
interstate or have interstate affiliations.
Therefore they are largely out of reach OF
effective state control, and fall of neces-
sity within the federal Jurisdiction. One
of the prime objects of those amon8 them
that are grasping and greedy II to avoid
any effective control either by state or
nation: and they advocate at this time
state control simply because they believe
II to be the least effective. In tho great
night of the people to drive the special
interests from the domination Of our gov
ernment, the nation is stronger and Its
Jurisdiction is more effective than that OF
any state. Tho most effective weapon
against these great corporations, most OF
which are financed and owned on the At
lantic coast. will be federal laws and the
federal executive. That is why 30
strongly oppose the demand to turn these
matters over to the states. 1t - funda.
mentally a demand against the interest
of the plain people. Of the people Of small
means. against the interest of our chill
dren and our children's children; and IL
is primarily in the interest of the great
corporations which desire to escape AL
government control
Tho Conservation Flight.
On of the dificulties in putting into
practise the conservation idea is that the
field to which It applies is constantly
growing in the public mind. It has been
no slight task to bring before 1oo.o poo
pie a great conception like that of con-
aervation. and convince them that 1t 10
right This much we have accom-
plished. But there remains much to be
cleared up and many MISUNDERSTANDING
to be removed. These misunderstanding
are due in part at least to direct mis-
representation by the men to whose
prosper. For example. we nnd It con-
stantly said by men who should know
better that Temporary Withdrawals.
such as the Withdrawals of coal lands.
will permanently check development Hee
the fact Is that these withdrawals have
No purpose except to prevent the coal
lands from passing into private owner
shin until congress can pass laws TO open
them to development under conditions
Just alike to the public and to the men
80 AhA HoHya
Abuses committed in the nane Of Just
ceuse sre familiar to all of US. Many
unwise things are done and many unwise
measures are advocated in the name OK
conservation. either through Ignorance.
or nv those whose interest lies not In pro-
noting the movement. but in retard'ng X
For example. tn stop water power deVei-
opment by needless refusal to issue per-
m.ts for water power or private irrigation
works on the public lands inevitably leads
m,nv men friendly to conservation and
believers in It's general principles. to as
sunne that its practical application Is nee
essar,lv q check upon prc~ress. Nothing
could be more mistaken. The idea, widely
circulated of late. that conservation means
locking up of the natural resources for tho
exclusive use Of future generations. 10
wholly mistaken. Our purpose ia to mako
full use of these resources. but to consid-
er our sons and daughters as well as our
selves: Just as a farmer uses his farm
Conservation is the road to national ef-
Nc'e,cv and 1t stands for ample and wise
development.
But in spite of these difYiculties. most
of which are doubtless inevitable in any
movement of this kind. conservation has
made marvellous progress. have been
astourded and delighted on nv return
from abroad at the progress made while I
was awav. We have a right to congratu-
late ourselves on this marvellous proGress:
g. A~ltA stSxrx hat
the neht is won. In the beginning tho
epecial interests. who are our chief onoo-
nen+s IN the conservation night. paid little
heed to the movement. because tt'v nell
ther understood1it. nor saw that II II won
they must lose. But with the progress nt
conservatjon in the minds of our people
the fght Is getting sharper. The nearer
we a,nroach to victory. the bitterer tho
oprostion that we must meet. and the
--onter the need for caution and watrh-
fuloess Omen opposition wa ran over
come but warn you especially against
the men who come to congresses such as
this. o-te,a'blv as disint-rested citizens.
hut actually as the paid agents Of tho
spec'a, interests. heartily approve tho
attitude OF anv corporation. interested In
thc de,,herntions of meeting such as
Tbs. which comes hfther to advocate. hv
~, cror,v accredited a~ents. views which
n believes the meeting should have m
rniod But I condemn with equal reahi-
mess the appearance OF c0fD'rate He''lS
before anv convention who does not de-
clare himself frankly as SUCH
This congress is a direct appeal to tho
patriotism, Of our whole people. The
nation wisely looks to such GATHERINGS
for counsel and leadership. Let that
leadership be sound. definite. practical.
and on the side of all the people. e
wculd he M small misfortune if a meeting
such as this should ever fall into the
hands of the ooen enemies or false friends
Of the great movement which 1t repre-
sents.
IT is our duty and our desire to make
this nd of ours better home for tho
roco hut our duty does not stop there.
We must also work for better nation to
I've in this better land. The development
and conservation of our national charac-
acter and our FREQ institutions must
hand in hand with the development and
conservation of our natural resources.