The Nevada County picayune., 1910-05-20

that SeHdIOF ftOOt, Dy HIS SldlemeHl Ol the case of the administration, can en- tirely convince the colonel that Mir. Taft has been sincere and whole heart ed in his endeavors to secure the fur. therance of the Roosevelt policies.
 Taft's Friends Not Uneasy.
 There are in Washington friends of Mr. Taft. who also are friends of Mir Roosevelt, who say that MT. Bryan is utterly mistaken and that when the colonel returns 1t will be found that he is still loyal to the man who sue. ceeded him in the White House. Sena tor Root, as one has had occasion to write before, was depended upon by Mir Roosevelt when he was president to give him advice from a strict con- servative point of view. The colonel has implicit confidence in his secre- tary of state, the man who now is a senator from the state of New York. The friends of Mir. Root say that noth- ing has happened to change the colonels opinion of the senator, and that if any man can bring Mir. Roose- welt to the belief that MT. Taft is ab- solutely sincere and is doing all that be can along the lines of progressive legislation, that man is Elihu Root.
 Most recent political gossip is to the effect that when Colonel Roosevels comes back he will enter the field against Chauncey M. Depew for United States senatorial honors in New York state. Republicans, insurgents" and ho nI. say that if MT. Roosevelt should make up his mind to be senator of the United States there would be no con- test between him and Mir. Depew worthy of name. The feeling is that the colonel would sweep everything before him. as least as far as the Re publicans are concerned, and that his only fear of defeat would come from Democratic victory in the state. vic tory which would elect Democratic | legislature.
 James River Dam Bill.
 Will President Taft veto the James river dam bill?
 On the answer to this question in- l tense interest is hanging. The con- seryationists of the country believe that President Taft will see his way clear to forbid the enactment into law of the bill, but the friends of the meas ure insist that the president. being l judicial minded will find that 1t is i drawn ill strict accordance with law, and that he cannot fail consistently to attix his signature.
 Ii the president makes up his mind to sign this bill when it comes before ! him, he will nullify one of the acts of Theodore Roosevelt which the friends l of conservation say showed more l conclusively than anything else the real heartfelt interest of the colonel of Rough Riders in measures to safeguard the peoples heritage of natural re. sources.
 Issue Closely Drawn.
 This matter in the minds of many re- solves itself into this: A sharp-drawn issue, with conservation as its basis, ! between the resource-saving policies Of l Theodore Roosevelt and those of Will liam II. Taft" It has been charged by some of the extreme conservation
 
 i in sympathy with their movement. II he signs the James river dam bill they will say that the fact has been proved On the other hand, there are those who say that Mir. Roosevelt went 10 an ex- treme in yetoing the measure and that the grounds which he gave for his veto were outside of the field of reason.
 This particular James river is in Missouri, and the purpose of the bill is to permit certain specific persons to i construct a dam across 1t in Stone county and to divert a portion ot it's waters through a channel into the river again to create electric power The James river is navigable stream, at least it is so held to be in part. and for this reason MT. Roosevelt felt that the federal government had complete jurisdiction, and the fact that congress sional legislation Is necessary for the construction of the dam in large measure proves the contention.
 The bill. which is a counterpart of the vetoed measure. legalizing the dam construction. again has been reported to the senate and it seems likely that 1t wi. pass.
 Why Roosevelt Vetoed it.
 In order that it may be understood just how sharp the issue will be made between Mr. Taft and MT Roosevelt. if the former signs the bill, il Is worth while to quote from the Roosevelt veto message:
 To give away. without conditions. this. one of the greatest of our re. sources, would be an act of folly, If we are guilty of it. our children will be forced to pay an annual return upon capitalization based upon the highest prices which the traffic will bear. They will find themselves face to face with powerful interests intrenched behind the doctrine of vested rights and strengthened by every defense which money can buy and the ingenu-