The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1910-04-21
GARFIELD A CONSERvATIONIST
Speech In Denver Proves That
He Has Never Changed
His Views.

Declaring all the elements which go
to make up a water trust are in exis-
tence today, and the tendency toward
such Capitalization IS growing strong
er, former Secretary of the Interior
James r. Garfield Monday made a
stl ong plea before the Colorado con-
servation commission for cooperation
between the federal and state govern
ments in the conservation of water
power resources.
Mr.. Garfield was preceded by Cover
nor John F. Shafroth, who at the
morning session of the meeting, de-
clared in unqualified terms for exelu-
siye control by state governments.
At the morning session, letters were
read from Phillip ?. Wells, counsellor
of the national conservation commits
sion, upholding Garfield's 5 position, and
from Secretary of the Interior Richard
A. Ballinger, upholding Governor Shat
roth stand.
Mr.. Wells letter was in answer to
a request sent to Clifford Pinchot, for
mer chief forester. This letter reached
Washington too late to be forwarded
to MIR. Pinchot in Europe and it is
understood Mr.. Wells was speaking
for Mr. Pinchot. The entire evening
session was given over to Mr.. Gar
fields address.
I'm brief, E" said Mr.. Garfield. the
condition is this. The federal gov
ernment owns property and control
for the development of water power.
The states control the use of water
within their respective boundaries. To
bring together these two elements nee
essary for water power development,
the nation and states should cooper
ate.
1.-The private interests that are de.
veloping and useing water, of necess-
ity, ignore state lines and nothing will
be more acceptable to those interests
than to have the federal governments
Withdraw from all attempts to control
their transactions.
Again, unless the federal govern
ment retains and exercises such con-
troll, the interests OF the people OF
one state may be seriously jeopardlzed
by the action of an adjoining state.
"The use OF water" continued Mr..
Garfield, lis one of immediate and
most important of all conservation
problems. 1t is therefore necessary
to have clear understanding of the
conditions and the pending propositions.
During the last ten years the great
possibilities for the use of water have
been appreciated. Everywhere pri-
vate interests are attempting to gain
control of vantage points for develop
ment. The fight is on in nation and
state. The question is simply this:
Shall the public control and regu-
late the use of water in accordance
with the needs of the people and for
the benefit of the people, or shall
private interests own and control the
use of water for its own gain without
regard to rights and needs of the pub
lie? 1t is certain an intolerable water
monopoly will be fastened upon our
people, unless the people in both ma
tion and state assert their authority and
control the use of water.
"The use of water for the develop
ment of power for storage and for irrl-
cation means of necessity, exclusive
use in particular places and such ex-
elusive use is readily turned into op-
pressive monopoly unless repudiated
by the public. 1t is not enough to
deny water monopoly. All elements
which go to make up such trust are
in existence and the tendency toward
such Capitalization grows stron erd lily.
"The conservation of water applies
/ in all its uses. There are those who
attack conservation, alleging conser-
walton means non-use, non-development
but no such proposition has been put
forward by the leaders of the conser-
walton movement. AS has been de-
| fined over and over again, it means
wise use Of and development of water
for domestic purposes, water power
and navigation in accordance with the
needs of the present generation, but
with due regard for the future and
under control of public authority"
1.-The federal government has no
/ title to the waters of the rivers and
streams in any part of the country,
whether they may be navigable or
non navigable, asserted Governor John
F. Shafroth, of Colorado, before the
members of the Colorado conservation
commission.
"The most the government has in
terest to the waters of the different
states" Governor Shafroth continued,
lis an easement which is exercised