The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-05
Will Express His Views
Before Conservation
Congress.
GOVERNORS WILL
HOLDCONF'ERENCE
Presidents Attitude Will Be
Contrasted With That Of
Roosevelt, Who Will Make
Speech To-Morrow-The
Two Will Not Meet
in St. Paul.
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l i

1 4 d . j.
4 Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l
st. Paul, Mimi, September 4.-Most
Rev. John Ireland, Archbishop of st.
Paul, will open the second National
Conservation Congress in this city to-,
morrow with prayer, and after that no
man can tell whether the convention
will be peace meeting or one of storm
and turbulence.
Present indications point 10 storm.
Clouds have been lowering over St.
Paul for weeks, and they have been
growing darker daily.
Following the venerable archbishop's
appeal for Divine blessing and the III.
| production of Governor A. o. Eberhart,
OF Minnesota, comes the address OF
President Taft. What is Taft going to
say? Is question being asked in this
| city. But while there is great interest
in what the President may say, there
is more speculation concerning the
probable attitude Of his predecessor
| In office, ColeT,sl Theodore Roosevelt.
| The former President is on the pro-
| gram to speak Tuesday, the day after
President Taft makes his address. The
colonel selected the date himself. While
Roosevelt is talking President Trft
will be on his way back East The
President and the former President will
not meet In st. Paul
| 1T Is on Monday that the much dis
cussed conference of the Governors Is
to be held. Should the Balllnger-P PIN
chot matter come up. and any spirit OF
criticism crop out. 1t is believed that
/ there will be started one OF the hottest
/ fights ever known.
1nsurEent Tendency.
1 Led by Governor Hay, of Washington,
Secretary Ballinger's State. the West
| ern Governors have shown Insurgent
tendencies. The claim has been made
that the program has been packed"
| against the West. Governor Hay de-
! clared that he would nct appoint dele
gates from his State unless repre-
sentative to be selected by him should
be given an hour to place Washington's
/ position before the congress. He was
4 told that President Taft and Coione.
Roosevelt were the only speakers who
would have that much time. and that
/ Washington would have to be content
with the same time allotted to other
States. Then Governor Hay called .
meeting of Western Governors to be
| held in Salt Lake City. A delegation
consisting of Frank B. Kellogg, trust
buster" for Roosevelt: Ralph WheelocK,
\ private secretary of Governor Eber-
hart. OF Minnesota; j. n. Beck, repre-
lsenting the local board of managers for
the congress. and Reuben Warner, rep
Presenting st. Paul and Minneapolis bus
! mess interests. was sent to the Sa1e
Lake meeting.
| They gave the Western Governors as
surance that they would be property
treated, and the result was that all OF
| the Western States will have delegn-
! tions in the congress-, though some OF
the Governors will not be present be-
I'cause of other engagements
4 (
1t is the old question of States rights
that is likely to make the greatest
trouble. The Washington delegation Is
coming to St Paul divided against IT.
self. One Of the delegates appointed
by the Mayor of Spokane declares that
he and Others favor conservation of re-
sources by the States. Another dele-
gate says he wants the resources con-
served by the government. SO it may
readily be seen what the chances are
for a fight on this question.
Reed Smoot, Senator from Utah. Is
author of Senate bill No. 7432. author
izing "the President to withdraw from
all forms Of settlement, entry or other
disposition any lands which are or
may become chiefly valuable for the
development OF water power, and pro-
viding for, the acquisition by any State
or Territory, under certain conditions,
of any lands so withdrawn, and for
other purposes.'
This bill Is regarded as containing
the cream Of the States rights" prop
osition. so far as the relation of Fed
eral, and State governments to the con-
troll of waterpower and power sites is
concerned. The resolutions adopted by
the Northwestern Governors declare
openly for such measures
That President Taft will support
this proposition is regarded as proba-
BILE in the light of q previous utter
ance credited to him. At st. Louis in
his speech May 4. the President de-
Tended the Smoot bin before the meet
ing OF the Farmers Union. He then
said:
"As concerns Congress at this time,
conservation resolves itself at onca
into the necessity OF nassng the hill.
which will give to the executive un-
questioned authority to withdraw land
for power sites and other purposes,
With this power in the hands OF the
President OF the United States. we can
sit comfortably by and discuss and de-
wise the best means of disposing OF
the great public domain to the benefit
of present and future generations"
1t is pointed out that Roosevelt has
at all times maintained a position d.
rectly antagonistic to the provisions OF
the Smoot measure, AS opposed TO ethe-s
States rights" theory, the Roosevelt
idea is generally known to be ma
tional" conservation proposition. in
which the Federal government shall
undertake the work of conservation
when the projects considered are OF
national scope, The States may act In
matters pertaining only TO their Inter.
est.
Views of Roosevelt.
During the progress OF the first
White House conferences of Governors
Colonel Roosevelt then President, In
reply to the speech OF William Jen-
nings Bryan. arose and sad;
'In matters that relate only To the
people within state, Of course. thu