The Elbert County tribune., 1910-09-09
ne resources for the people b fun o'
hope for us all
state and Federal Control.

me resources Tor the people u fun Of
hope for us all
State and Federal Control.
But while we of the United Stairs are
anxious. as / believe we are able, to be
Of assistance to others. there are prob
lens Of our own which we must not over
look One of the most important con-
fervation questions OF the moment relates
to the control of water power monopoly
In the public interest. There Is 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 It is forced
upon US. But there is hope for the
plain people in such conflicts Of jurisdic-
ton The essential question is not one
of hair-splitting legal technicaities. 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 among them
that are graspinR and greedy is 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 the great
fight 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. The most effective weapon
AGAINST these great corporations, most OF
which are financed and owned on the At
iantic coast. viii be federal laws and the
federal executive. That is why 30
strongly oppose the demand to turn these
matters over to the states. 1t is funda-
mentally demand against the interest
of the plain people. OF the people OF small
means against the interest of our chill
nd nrfr
Is primarily in the interest of the great
corporations which desire to escape all
government control
The Conservation Flight.
On of the difncuIties in putting into
practise the conservation idea is that the
feld to which II applies is constantly
growing in the public mind. II has been
no slight task to bring before 100000 peo-
pie a great conception like that of Ger
rervation. and convince them that ft~'J
right. This much we have accom-
plished. But there remains much to be
cleared up, and many m,sunderstandnes
to be removed. These MISUNDERSTANDING
are due in part at least to direct mis-
representation by the men to whose
interest It Is that conservation should not
prosper. For example. we fnd II con-
stantiy said by men who should know
better that Temporary Withdrawals,
such as the Withdrawals Of coal lands.
the fact IL that these Withdrawals have
no purpose except to prevent the coal
lands from passing into private owner
ship until CONGRESS- can pass laws to open
them to development under conditions
Just alike to the public and 70 the men
who will do the developing. If there il
delay, the responsibility for It rests. not
on the men who made the Withdrawals to
protect the public interest. but on those
who prevent congress from passing wise
LEGISLATION. and so putting an end to the
need for Withdrawals.
Abuses committed in the name of a Just
Cause are familiar TO all Of US. Many
unwise things are done and many unwfss
measures are advocated In the name OF
conservation. either through Ignorance.
or by those whose interest lies not In pro-
noting the movement, but IN retarding II
For example. to stop water power devei-
opment by needless refusal to issue per-
mits for water power or private irrigation
works on the public lands inevitably leads
many men, friendly to conservation and
believers in its general principles, to as
sumo that its practical application is nee
essarfiy a check upon progress. Nothing
could be more mistaken. The idea, widely
circulated OF late. that conservation reans
locking up Of the natural resource: for the
exclusive use of future generations. IL
wholly mistaken. Our purpose II to make
full use of these resources. but to consid-
er our sons and daughters a. well a. our
selves; Just a. q farmer uses his farm
IN ways to preserve its future usefulness.
nciency. and II stands for ample and wise
development
But in spite Of these difficulties. most
of which are doubtless inevitable In any
movement of this kind. conservation has
made marvellous progress. have been
astounded and delighted on my return
from abroad at the progress made while
was away We have right to congratu-
late ourselves on this marvellous prosress;
but there is no reason for believing that
the fight is won. In the beginning the
special interests. who are our chief oppo-
nents in the conservation ncht. paid little
heed to the movement. because they nei-
ther understood II. nor saw that II II won
they must lose. But with the progress OF
conservation in tho minds OF our people
the fight is getting sharper. The nearer
we approach to victory. the bitterer the
opposition that we must meet. ana the
greater the need for caution and watch
fulness. Open opposition we can over
come but I warn you especially agafnst
the men who come to congresses such a.
this. ostensibiy as disinterested citizens.
but actually as the paid agents of the
special interests. heartily approve the
attitude of any corporation. Interested In
the deliberations of meeting such ~
this. which comes hither to advocate. by
its openly accredited agents. views which
It believes the meeting should have in
mind But condemn with equal readi-
ness the appearance of corporate agent
before any convention who does not de-
clare himself frankly as such.
This congress is a direct appeal to the
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. II
would be no small misfortune II a meeting
such as this should ever fall into the
hands of tho open enemies or false friends
of the great movement which It repre-
sents.
| 1t is our duty and our desire to make
| this land OF ours better home for the
race. but our duty does not stop there.
| We must also work for better nation to
L.. AAnx In, daxra alox..