The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-09-08

s-rorr-,v oppoee re demand to turn these
matters over to the states. II is funda-
mentally demand AGAINST the lntefes.
OF the plai. peop1e, of the people of small
means AGAINST the interest of our chill
1ro~ and our childrens children: and it
is nr;roariIv in the interest of the great
cornorations which desire to escape all
government control
The Conservation Fight.
~, Of the difficulties in putting into
oa+,ca the conserve ton idea is that the
ea15 70 which it applies is constantly
growing in the public mind. 1t has been
~ s1isbt task TO bring before 100000 peo-
ple a great conception like that OF cor
servation. and convince them that It IS
rtgbt This much we have accom-
nliebed But there remains much to be
cleared I'D and many Observation-Disclosures
IN he 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 find 1t con-
stantly said by men who should know
better that temporary Withdrawals,
such as the Withdrawals OF coal lanus,
will permanently check development 1et
the fact Is that these withdrawals nave
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
inst alike to the public and to the men
who will de the developing. If there Is
delav, the responsibility for 1t 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 puttlng an emu W lho
need for withdra walls
Abuses committed in the name Of lust
cause are familiar to all Of us. Many
unwise things are done and many unWlse
measures are advocated in the name OF
conservation, either through ignorance
or nv those whose interest lies not In pro-
noting the movement, but in retardlng 1t.
For example, to stop water power oe'ei-
opment by needless refusal to issue per-
noits for water power or private irrigation
works on the public lands Inevitably leads
MANY men, friendly to conservation ana
believers in it's general principles, TO as
sumo that its practical application Is nee
essarily check upon progress. Notnins
could be more mistaken The idea, widely
circulated Of late, that conservation means
locking up of the natural resources FOR the
exclusive use of future generations IS
wholly mistaken. Our purpose Is to maze
full use of these resources, but to consld-
or our sons and daughters as well as our
selves: Just as farmer uses his rarm
in wavs to preserve its future usefulness
Conservation is the road to national ef-
1890
development.
But in spite Of these difficulties, most
of which are doubtless inevitable in any
movement Of this kind. conservation has
made marvellous progress. l 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 progress;
but there Is no reason for believing that
the fight Is won In the beginning the
n nents in the eSnssfvatfoH 1Asft, Raid little
heed to the movement, because thew nell
Their understood 1t. nor saw that If 1t won
they must lose. But with the progress OF
conservation in the minds OF our people
the fight is getting sharper The nearer
we approach to victory, the bitterer the
opposition that we must meet, and the
greater the need for caution and watch
fulness Open opposition we can over
come but I warn you especially against
the men who come to congresses such as
this, ostensibly as disinterested citizens.
but actually as the paid agents OF the
special interests. I heartily approve tho
attitude Of any corporation. interested In
the deliberations Of meeting such as
this. which comes htther to advocate. by
its openly accredited agents. views which
1t believes the meeting should have In
mind. But condemn with equal readi-
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. 1t
would be no small misfortune if meeting
such as this should ever fall into the
hands Of the open enemies or false friends
of the great movement which it repre-
sents.
It is our duty and our desire to make
this land Of ours a better home for the
race but our duty does not stop there.
We must also work for better nation to
live in this better land. The development
and conservation of our national charac-
acter and our free institutions must go
hand in hand with the development and
conservation of our natural resources,
which the governors conference so well
called the foundations of our prosperity.
Whatever progress we may make as a
nation, whatever wealth we NAV accu-
mulate, however far we may push me-
chanical development and production we
shall never reach point where our well
fare can depend in the last ANALYSIS on
anything but honesty courage. loyalty.
and good citizenship. The homely vir-
tues are the lasting virtues. and the road
uine and lasting seccess.
What this country needs is what every
free. country must set before it as the
great goal toward which it works-an
equal oportunity for life, liberty and The
pursuit Of happiness for every one of its
citizens. To achieve this end we must
put stop to the improper political do
minion, no less than to the improper eco
nomic dominion, of the great special
interests. This country, it's natural re-
sources, its natural advantages, it's oppor-
tunities and its institutions, belong to all
its citizens. They cannot be enjoyed fully
fully and freely under any government in
which the special interests as such have
voice The supreme political task Of
our day, the indispensable condition Of
national efficiency and national welfare, is
to drive the special interests out Of our
public life.