The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-09-16
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY
CONSERVATION CONVENTION

ST. Paul. Sept. 10. Following are
he resolutions adopted by the National
Conservation Congress:
"The second National Conservation
Congress, made up Of delegates from
nearly every state and territory Of the
United States, met at the cali Of a
great moral issue in session as
sembled at st. Paul, does hereby
adopt and solemnly declare the follow
ing platform of opinion and conclusion
concerning the inherent rights 81 the
people of the United States:
Declare Principles.
Heartily accepting the spirit and
intent OF the constitution and adhering
to the principles laid down by Wash
ington and Lincoln, we declare our
conviction that we live under govern
ment of the people, by the people. for
the people; and we repudiate any and
all special or local interests or plat
forms or policies in conflict with the
inherent rights and sovereign will of
our people.
Recognizing the natural resources
of the country as the prime basis of
property and opportunity, we hold the
rights of the people in these resources
to be natural and inherent, and Justly
inalienable and indefensible, and we
insist that the resources should and
shall be developed, used and conserved
in ways consistent both with current
welfare and with the perpetuity of the
people.
Water Rights Named.
Recognizing the waters of the coun-
try as great natural resource, we ap-
prove and indorse the opinion that all
the waters belong to all the people, and
hold that they should be used in the
interest of the people.
Realizing that all parts of each
drainage basin are related and inter-
dependent, we hold that each stream
should be regarded and treated as a
unit from its source to it's mouth; and,
since the waters are essentially mobile
and transitory and are generally inter-
state, we hold that in all cases of
divided or doubtful jurisdiction, the
waters should be administered by CO.
operation between states and federal
agencies.
Uses Defined.
Recognizing the interdependence of
the various uses of the waters of the
country, we hold that the primary
uses are for domestic supply and for
agriculture, through irrigation or
otherwise, and that the uses for navi-
cation, and for power, in which water
is not consumed, are secondary; and
we commend the modern view that
each use of the waters should be made
with reference to all other uses for the
public welfare in accordance with the
principle of the greatest good to the
greatest number for the longest time.
Viewing purity of water supply as es-
sential to the public health and gen
eral welfare, we urge upon all NUM-
c1pal, state uud federal aalth0ritiaslt and
on individuals and corporations,
requisite action toward purifying and
prev enting contamination of the water
supply.
Approving the successful efforts of
the United States to provide homes on
arid lands through irrigation, we in
dorse and commend the reclamation
service and urge it's continuance and
the extension of the same policy to the
drainage of swamp and overflow lands,
to be carried forward so far as appro-
pirate through cooperation between
states and federal agencies.
Viewing adequate and economical
transportation facilities as among the
means of conservation and realizing
that the growth of the country has
exceeded the development of the trans
portation facilities, we approve the
prompt adoption of comprehensive
plan for developing navigation
throughout the rivers and lakes of the
United States, proceeding in the order
of their magnitude and commercial i'm
portance.
For Federal Control.
Recognizing the vast economic
benefit to the people of the water pow
err derived largely from Interstate
streams no less than from navigable
rivers, we favor federal control of wa
ter power development; we deny the
right of states or federal government
to continue alternating or conveying
water by granting franchises for the
use thereof in perpetuity, and we de-
mand that the use of water rights be
permitted only for limited periods with
just compensation in the interests of
the people.
I'VE demand the maintenance of the
federal commission empowered to deal
with all uses of the waters, and to CO.
ordinate these uses for the public wei
fare In cooperation with similar com
missions or other agency and main
tanned by the states.
Withdrawals Approved.
Approving the withdrawal of public
lands pending classification and the
separation Of surface rights from min
eral, forests and water rights, includ-
ing water power sites, we recommend
legislation for the classification and
leasing for grazing purposes of unre-
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