Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-12
Calls the ConservatiOnists
Fanatics and Dema-
gogues.
SEEKING POPULARITY
Declares He Opposes Standing
in Way of Development of
Public Domain.

Portland, Ore, Aug. 12.-Secretary
of the Interior Richard A. Ballinger,
VINO was the guest of honor today at a
MONDAY luncheon given by the Com
nercial club, addressed his hosts on
the subject of conservation.
What is there about it that calls
for excitement, bitterness of spirit or
contention - said Secretary Ballinger.
Nothing. The explanation of popular
excitement is in the fact that many
Iecple have been led to believe that
cons ervation holds the secret of our
national well-being. The demagogue,
the fanatic, the sentimentalist, the fad
DIS are crusading under the banner of
conservation, mainly because it is pop
ar and holds the attention of the
-Four. Their energies might be equally
employed on any other human virtue
With the same argument, but such re-
formers are more like torrents, gener-
aIiy doing more damage by floods
tt an by the steady flow of useful
St e6m.
Merely Hysteria.
what has the doctrinaire accomplished,
unless it be the hysteria of conserva-
ttpn? Has he suggested any practical
methods by way of legislation for dis
posing of the remainder of the public
lends so as to give the public better
safeguards against existing abuses?
The fact is that all the substantial pro-
gless made in this direction has been
eiacted by the last congress as the
result of recomme ndations initiated by
this administration
Secretary Ballinger said that ex-
treme conservation theories in their
last analysis mean government owner
slip and operation. He said they pro-
ceed on the theory that the states are
net to be trusted to take care of their
natural resources. He said that be-
cause some of the states have been
wasteful or their officers corrupt, 1t
does not follow that no state can
sasely manage its own affairs in this
particular He said that in view of the
fact that the states control and own
water for development it would seem
that the most feasible and practical
method would be to transfer these
items to prevent injurious monopoly. He
declared that the contention that the
in erior department may, under any eX-
ist2ng laws. exact a charge from the
public for the use of these power sites
is utterly without foundation.
Buys Coal Elsewhere.
Taking up the subject of Alaska coal
lands he called attention to the fact
that with 1900 square miles of known
coal area. containing an estimated
amount of $4,000, 100000 tons, some OF
the very best quality, Alaska buys
most of it's coal from British Colum-
bla and the United states navy on Jne
Pacific obtains its coal from the Poca-
hontas fields OF West Virginia at cost
to the government of seven dollars per
ton of which S. per ton is represented
bp the freight charges. If the mines OF
Alaska were in operation coal could be
laid down at Portland at from SO to S4
per ton He said Alaska never has
had adequate laws to cover the dispo-
sition of it's public lands. To make
them adequate. however. is one OF the
Burdens of this administration. which
VIII doubtless be met and solved as
other equally difficult duties have been
solved by it.
would withhold None.
Secretary Ballinger declared he IS
opposed to Withholding any lands in
the public domain that are capable o.
giving strength and permanent pros
pc~ity to the country in agriculture,
commerce or industry
The department of the interior is
one of the executive branches or the
government, instituted by law and,
Therefore. necessarily administered un-
81. the law" said Mr. Ballinger.
The public domain was left by the
constitution to the disposition OF con-
sress and congress has seen fit to au-
thoriZe the interior department, under
legislative limitations, to dispose of
the public domain. Therefore any dis
position sought to be made by me can
be made only In view of the law and
within the law. All questions of policy,
ali criticisms to all proper disposition
OF public lands. must necessarily be
referred to and controlled by the law
making body established by the consti-
tuition. 1t has become practice with
maLy people. either through ignorance
OF these conditions or a disposition to
ignore them, to charge the interior de
partment with the responsibility Of the
disposition of the public domain re-