The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-06-04

think there are none who VIII no
accord 10 him the highest patriotism
judicial fairness, broad comprehen
sion and. above all, honesty, honest,
that Is not dependent on personal mo
tiyes. We are deeply honored, Mr.
President, by your presence here 10
night. | assure you that the greeting
you have received Is not q perfunctory
one. Our admiration and devotion
comes from our hearts and flashes
from our eyes with all the earnest
ness OF real welcome"
As the president arose Mr.. Larned
proposed three cheers. The response
was most cordial and was accompan'
led by a great waving OF napkins. The
demonstration lasted perhaps 80 sec
onds, and when II subsidized, the pres
ident smilingly acknowledged the wei
come that had been accorded him
He took occasion especially TO compii'
ment Mayor Breitmeyer on the per
lection OF the police arrangements for
the occasion.
The president devoted the first five
minutes OF his 40-minute talk TO felici
tations and references 10 his service
on the federal bench In Detroit as cir
cult Judge OF this district. Mention
OF the name Of President Emeritus
Angel, of the U. of NJ, who sat at
the speakers table, brought lusty
cheers from the banQueters.
The president confined his address
to the one subject of conservation,
and II there were any present who
had gone to the banquet In the antici.
patton OF hearing the tariff discussed
they were disappointed. The presi
dent said in part:
Conservation means a great many
different things. In its larger sense
II is made TO include the improve
ment OF waterways, and their use,
and the prevention OF waste In every
thing that nature affords TO man, In
| the suppression or prevention OF
erosion Of the soil. in the prevention
of the destruction OF the forest, In the
unnecessary exhaustion Of our min
eral resources. But that definition
does not help one Irresponsible in any
way for federal legislation; and
want to come down to the meaning
Of conservation as 1t ought to be de-
fined with reference to possible fed
eral legislation.
1T means really what we should do
with the public domain, as much OF
II as we have left. so as to see that Ii
shall be used for the benefit of the
greatest number. In 1861 we had a
public domain OF about q billion
acres Leaving ont Alaska, we now
have a domain OF about 700 1000, 000
acres. The 300.000,000 that have gone
from us represent, OF course, the best
in the way Of agricultural soil that
We had. What Is left Is about 200, 000,'
900 of II. or to speak exactly, 1907
900 900. contained In forest reserva'
tons. and the 100000. Of course,
includes all the mountains all the land
that is not worth anything, and al
the land that Is arid. sub-arid, and all
the swamps, that is, all the swamps
that the federal government owns. TO:
the states own a good deal.
"And the question Is what we are
to do in respect to that zoe. ,00C
acres In the land between the seas
and the 300.000,000 acres In Alaska
| or II the last administration and this
have reserved about $4,000 900 acres
/! with a view to having congress take
action in respect to that 10000 0(
acres in the form Of l. gislation adapt
ed To their better disposition thar
merely as agricultural lands. y
One Great Difficulty.
Zone great difficulty is the doubt
and very serious doubt II is, whsth
er the executive have the power Il
make these reservations. Before the
/ last administration the executive haC
exerted a power Of reservation with
reference to specific government uses
like a military reservation, or light
| house tract, of something for distinc
! government use, but to extend tina
power to 100000 acres, not for an.
specific government purpose, but be
cause the executive thinks that tn,
land ought to be disposed Of In som'
other way, is straining the construc
| ton of the constitution, which de
clares that the disposition OF the pub
lie domain shall be by congress, ant
not By the executive. Hence II Is tina
II 1 Of the ltrcost importance tina
those executive dispositions and reseI
vaions should be affirmed and rati
fed by act Of congress, and that tn
executive should be given expires
power TO make future reservations o
the same kind when occasion arises
1T has been suggested that to ratif.
by congress Is to reflect on the execu
tive that made the reservation. Well
cannot speak exactly for my pre-
decessor. although / think In this IN
stance I can, and can speak for my
self, who have made part Of thos'
reservations, that / shall not take
as a personal reflection IL congress
ratifies what have done.
THE necessity for the ratification
is this, that there are many who ar,
interested in stalking of this land nov
reserved and making claims agains
Il under existing laws, who hav,
acute lawyers that have advised then
that the power of reservation does no
exist In the executive as Il has beel
exercised, and unless We now prompt
ly ratify, we shall be In a mess t,
use a good old New England expires
sion, In regard to those lands, becaus,
the men with the long purses who ar,
willing to have q lawsuit in order {,
get title will have taken the steps t,
vest the title in them, while thos,
whom We would wish to aid, who hav,
not the long purses, and are afrait
OF litigation, will not have taken thos,
steps; hence II Is Of the utmost i'm
portance that bill should pass ratify
ing what has been done by the execu
tive