The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-08-29

StCi0 VI 0l.sSi Tic u2e-UA
If we are foolish enough to grant
their requests we shall have ourselves
to blame when we wake up to find that
we have permitted another privilege
30 tntrench itself and another portion
Of what should be kept for the public
good to be turned over to individuals
for purposes OF private enrichment
During the last session of congress
bills were introduced to transfer the
water power sites in the national for
ests and the public domain to the con-
troll of the states. l cannot state too
strongly my belief that these measures
are unwise and that it would be disas-
trous to enact them into law.
In substance their effect would be to
free these great special interests from
all effective control. The passage of
such bill would be a victory Of the
specia, interests over the general vel
fare and a long backward step down
the hill Of progress we have OF late
been climbing.
Coal Lands.
The same principle applies with pc.
culiar force to the coal lands, and es-
pecially to the coal lands in Alaska.
whose protection and ownership by
the federal government are SO neces
sary both for full and free Industrial
development in the west and for the
needs of our fleet in the Pacific. ..
The coal mines should be leased, not
sold. and those who mine the coal
should pay back a part of the l-ofit to
the people. 1t is the right and duty
of the people to demand the most Wig
liant trusteeship on that part Of that
branch of the federal government In
charge of the fuel resources of the
United States.
The Neutral Ground.
Remember also that many Of the
men who protest loudly against effec-
tive national action would be the first
to turn round and protest against
state action if such action in its turn
became effective aud would then un-
hesitatinely invoke the law to show
that the state had no constitutional
|. power to act.
Long experience has shown that it
is by no means impossible in cases of
constitutional doubt to get one set o.
judicial decisions which render it diff
f1cult for the nation to act and another
set which render it impossible for the
state to act. in each case the privi-
legged beneficiaries of the decision in
woke the aid of those who treat the
constitution not as healthy aid to
rYrn VT hy1t fntf Isl, tn ont
growth, auG they assail the advocates
Of wise and cautious progress as being
opponents of the constitution.
AS I have said before, am strong
believer in efficient national action
where such action offers the. best hope
Of securing and protecting the interest
of the whole people as against the in
terest of few. But am emphatical
ly in favor Of state action where state
action will best serve this purpose
and am no less emphatically in ia
vor Of cordial and hearty cooperation
between the nation land the states
where their duties are identical or
overlap.
If there is one thing which is more
uuN iSc ludu dHotheI IL ID luc CIcdllOU
by legislative. by executive or by ju-
dicial action of neutral ground in
which neither the state nor the ma
ton has power and which can serve
as a place of refuge for the lawless
man, and especially for the lawless
man Of great wealth. who can hire the
best legal counsel to advise him how
to keep his abiding place equally dis
tant from the uncertain frontiers Of
both state and national power.
The Open Range.
I am here at the invitation Of the
| Colorado Live Stock association, and /
desire to express my appreciation of
its steadfast stand for decency and
progress in the handling of public
lands and national forests. 1t has met
and overcome the unrelenting Opposi-
ton of some Of the most influential
stockmen OF the state. 1t has won
because it has been right. l want
to express also my appreciation of
the work of the American National
Live Stock association. 1t has been
one of the really important forces
! working toward effective railway reg
ulation. while its support of the pol
icy of federal rar~a control has given