The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-04-13
CONSERVATION A VITAL ISSUE
SAYS HON. MILES PO|NDEXTER

have simply set up a straw bogie-mGn
to go fitting at Nearly everyone is
fully agreed that the natural resources
should be developed. 1t is not devel-
opment which is objected to but eX-
ploitation. But the people are not so
hysterical about getting these re-
sources developed that they as a ma
ton are willing to surrender them
forever and without reserve to mon
opoly, or to leave to the states alone
the effort to prevent it. a reserva-
ton Of the authority to prevent mon
opoly and to regulate rates by the
federal government Will not retard
any reasonable development, but by
encoura ging competition will tend 20
accelerate development. Great water
powers, iron mines, timber and coal
lands in Wilmington. Oregon, and
other western states have been held
for years by monopolies (the united
exclusive control of these natural re-
sources and transportation therefor
being the key of the monopoly with
out development or any reasonable
prospect of developments; while with
out this monopolistic control they
would probably have been already de-
velopcd or soon would be.
law to Prevent Monopoly.
1t has been recently impressed
upon us also that the pending issue as
to the coal lands of Alaska did not
arise in the first place SO much upon
a demand for new laws as upon Il
conspiracy to perpertrate fraud upon
the existing law. BY tie influence of
Mr. Roosevelt a very excellent law to
prevent monopoly of the coal of
Alaska was enacted. 1t was liberal
and yet effective; but by the use of
influence of officials, by strained con-
structon of the law, ana by secret
contracts it was sought to evade it.
In other words the interest of the
people demands not only the enact
ment of new laws but the rigorous
enforcement Of the statutes already
enacted. Alaskan miners suffered
great wrongs under the disgraceful
Noyes- Mackenzie conspiracy, and the
Alaskan people, the nation, and par
ticularly the people of the state Of
Washington would suffer still create.
wrongs if the monopoly seeking to
control the resources of that territory
shall not be defeated in it's purposes
by the federal government
Protecting Water Sources.
In answer to your qualified endorse
ncnt of the forest reserve policy,
coupled with the assertion that lands
naturally adapted to farming should
not be included in forest reserve, !
would call your attention to the fact
that the forest laws and the forest
policy contemplate and allow the use
and development of all resources Of
the forest,-ts timber grass, farming
land minerals, and water under rea-
sonable governmental regulations and
supervision intended to prevent the
waste and ultimate destruction or the
forest 1t is conservation with use;
conservation for future generations
This policy is especially necessary az
an adjunct of the reclamation of arid
lands which, as you declare, is OF
first importance,-by protecting the
sources of water supply, the natural
reservoirs, and regulating the flow OF
streams OF course, in the admins
tration of this policy great care should
be taken to protect the rights of set
tiers in and about the reserves. AS far
as | am concerned l am in favor
without qualification of the conser-
walton policies of PinchOt and Roose-
welt.
Very respectfully.
MILES POINDEXTER,