The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-09-10

the resources for the people Il fun o4
nope for us all.
State and Federal Control.
but while we OF the United States are
anAlous' as believe we are able to be
VI assistance to others, there are prob
iems OF our own which we must not over.
LOOK. One of the most important con-
servatlon questions Of the moment relates
W the control OF water power monopoly
IN Inc public interest. There is apparent
70 the judicious observer 2 distinct ten.
oency on the part of our opponents to
cIouo the issue by raising the question Of
state as against federal Jurisdiction We
are ready to meet that issue If it is forced
upon US. But there is no hope for the
pain people in such conflicts of jurisdic-
uon. The essential question is not one
or halr-splittfng legal technicalities It IL
simply this: Who can best regulate the
special interests for the public goodr
Most of the predatory corporations are
Interstate or have interstate affiliations,
therefore they are largely out of reach Of
eneetfVe state control, and fall of neces-
sity within the federal Jurisdiction. One
OF the prime objects of those among them.
that are grasping 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
1t to be the least effective. In the great
fight of the people to drive the special
interests from the domination Of our gov
eminent. 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
lanttc coast, will be federal laws and the
federal executive. That is why I so
strongly oppose the demand to turn these
matters over to the states. Tt is funda-
mentally a demand against the interest
Of the plain people, Of the people of small
means. against the interest of our chill
dren and our ctidrens children: and II
IS primaf;ly in the interest Of the great
corporations which desire to escape all
government control
The Conservation Fight.
On of the difficulties in putting into
practise the conservation idea Is that the
field to which 1t applies is constantly
growing in the public mind. It has been
no slight task to bring before 100000 peo-
pie a great conception like that of con-
servation: and convince them that 1t is
right. This much we have accom-
plished. But there remains much to he
cleared up. and many Observation-Disclosures
to be removed. These misunderstandngs
are due in part at least to direct mis-
representation by the men to whose
interest 1t 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 lands,
will permanently check development. Yet
the fact Is 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
lust alike to the public and to the men
who will do the developing. IF there Is
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 Just
cause are familiar to all Of us. Many
unwise things are done and many unwise
measures are advocated in the name OF
either through IGNORANCE,
or BY those whose Interest Hes NOT n p1o
For example. to stop water power devei-
oprnent by needless refusal to issue per-
NIT. for water power or private irrigation
works on the public lands inevitably ieaos
many men, friendly to conservation ana
believers in It's general principles, TO az
sumo that its practical apphcation y neo
essarily q check upon progress Notnins
could he more mistaken. The Idea. W1deiy
circulated of late that conservation means
locking up Of the natural resources TOT INC
exclusive use Of future generations. IL
wholly mistaken. Our purpose fs to make
full use Of these resources but 70 conslo-
or our sons and daughters as well as our"
s.,ve.. lust as a farmer uses his farm
IN ways to preserve its future usefulness.
Conservation is the road to national el-
Ac,encv. and It stands for ample and wise
development
Rut IN spite Of these difficulties. most
Of which are doubtless inevitable IN any
movement Of this kind. conservation mas
made marvellous progress. nave oeen
astounded and delighted on my return
from, abroad at the progress made while
was awav. We have a right to congratu-
late ourselves on this marvellous prosress:
hut there is no reason FOR beileVine tnas
tbe fight is won. In the beginning tns
snecfal interests who are our chief oppo-
.,ent. IN the conservation fight. paid little
haad IA the movement. because they nell
+ber understood ". nor saw that III II won
thew must lose. But with the progress VI
conservation in the minds OF our peopie
the fight is getting sharper The nearer
we annroach to victory the bitterer tho
onnositfon that must meet ana 'iie
ara.+er the need for caution and watch-
f,,,,ess Open opposition we can over
,on,a h,,f 7 warn you especially against
+he men who come to congresses such aS
this ostersiblv as disfrteresfed c1t,zens'
but actually as the paid agents OF .he
specia1 interests. hear11lS appiose .e
attitude Of anv corporation. interested IN
+bo ae1;heratIons Of meeting such as
~ which comes hither to advocate. py
its onen1v accredited agents. views "hlch
q believes the meeting should nave - ~
mind But I condemn with eouai reao'
rees the appearance OF corporate ass"t
before anv convention who does not oe-
clare himself frankly as such
rb;s congress is a direct appeal to fhf
-,,+r,otism Of our whole people. The
,,a+;o, wisely looks to such gatherings
FOR counsel and leadership Let ina
leadership be sound. definite. pFarticai
and on the side of All the peopie. -
would be no small misfortune !, II iaeeu,ls ~,
such as this should ever fall into tne
t.,dr of the omen enemies or false fr'ends
- +be great movement which 1t repre-
sents.
r. &c our duty and our desire to make
+bis land of ours better home for the
r,ce hut our duty does not stop there.
We must also work for q better nation to
Two in this better land The development
and conservation of our national charac-
,c+ar and our free institutions must go
hand IN hand with the development ana
conservation of our natural resources.
witch the governors conference SO well
carred the foundations Of our prosperity.
Whatever progress we may Hiahe 90 a
nation whatever wealth we may accu-
,,,r,+e however far we may push me-
rhonical DEVELOPMENT and production. we
shall never reach a point where our well
fare can depend in the last ANALYSIS on
ANYTHING but honesty, courage. LOYALTY.
and good citizenship. The homely vfr-
tres are the lasting virtues, and the road
which leads to them IS the road to gen
1,ira md lasting success.
What this country needs is what every
free country oust set before it as the
great sgoal toward which it wor's-an
equal opportunity for life. liberty and the
nursl1it of happiness for every one Of Its
citizens To achieve this end we must
pvt a stop to the improper political do
tl,a- to ha INN