The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-16
IDALuNG[R TALKS
ON CONSERVATION
Makes Striking Address Be-
fore Noted Gathering in
Minnesota
SAYS CHIEF BURDEN
RESTS WITH STATE
Cabinet Officer Has But Little Use
: for Iclialistic Conservation
ists"--Ex-F Forester Pinchot
Not Present.

ST. PAUL. MINI. March Ia
Minnesota tnaugurated the arst State
conservation congress ever held in
the United States to-day
The congress opened In the audi
torium and will continue through the
week. Archbishop John Ireland. OF
81. Paul. presided
An address by Secretary or the
Interior Baliinger at the afternoon
session. was the most notable ut
terance OF the day. He will speak ola
The Public Domain and National
Obligation Regarding Disposition"
The greater portion OF the burden
IT, country was lard by Secretary
baiNnger at the doors of the States.
There has been and is," he said.
- grossly exaggerated notion, arnons
some people, as to what the general
government can do In conserving tho
natural resources that lie In the de-
posits Of minerals. and ara contained
In the soils and the streams. For the
most part, they have pHssed into prs-
sAte ownership and are under tho
municipal Jurisdiction OF the states.
Any national conservation policy
must be predicated on the policy af-
eeGting the public domain, since for
the most part the States are sovereign
within their own spneres OF jnrisdtc-
ton, Therefore, 1 betteve y creates
obligation rests upon the State than
upon the national government to In
augarate laws to prevent waste IN
the utilization OF natural resources.
scores '.IdeaIists."
Referring to the duty OF the ma
donal government he tiTEt regarded II
~ essential that the pnetic domain
he studied and surveyed an an AIDE
Quate and scientific class. atom OF
the remainder OF the puths sands" he
made. He scored the s'tdeaiiHtic con-
st~. = ti.snists'' heavily for tackiing the
proposition without o sound knowt-
edge OF conditions"
u grant you that such people are. :"
said the secretary, FOR the most part,
sfnscrr. hut their Very sincerity gives
them such a stgor OF imagins ton and
pse 9.sioa fiat II IL oftontime hard 10
combat their SaGRries except through
practtral demonstration. Then 10
fixs. fhsEns thnax dsss.~h ss ssias : Fssey
baN4 tU1SVtrtue. that they do not LEI
as forget that cxtreueg nften prove
fruitful ut sound TREASON 70 those who
may be over optimistic
Of tIfs own stand IN The matter
Secretary Bailinxer said. II am as
arde ntan advocate of wise conservA-
be Wise conservation to appeafsto me.
II must imply ~ full and free a
development OF our national resources
rs ~ s.onsiste mt with. our dS5iixutiaa
and our needs II may mean the
reservation from lise for limited
periods OF certain OF our deposits III
coal. oil mineral oils and gas. Of
nh thnf ~ tste, hap IN ~
against the inordinate greed OF men
who wish to exploit the present with
no regard for the future or the gen
eraI welfare. and when this becomes
necessary II Is q national duty Ia
make such reservations out OF the
public domain
''Eut we must not forget that We
are not through with the policy of
development, of building up new COM
munities and settlements. even in far
off Alaska. We have not reached
that period where we can say the re-
mainder OF our public lands shall be
auctioned off to the highest bidder
to Increase the revenues of the ma
tional treasury.
Congress Is now struggling with
the problems relating to water pow
er. and other measures designed to
retain In the government the power
Of control and supervision.
Discusses Alaska.
Discussing Alaskan matters. he con-
tinucd: THE known coal areas In
public ownership. where not apprais-
ID at their market value. are with
drawn from entry awaiting clAsstii.
cation ana apps.asensnk ana ali The
Aiaska As~ stAAdine under IN ahoo.
lute withdrawal oct Of 1896; and not
. patent has ever been Issued to an
acre OF coal land In Alaska III fact,
nearly all the coal landp that have
been patented have been obtained not
a. coal lands. but under the guise Of
! some other form OF entry. a. akri-
cultural. timber or stone. etc. No
man. or set Of men,, can comply with
the present laws and hnance mine
on the public domain on $40 acres OF
land. except under extremely favora-
BILE conditions. The ahsurdtty OF the
law has, In itself, anvtted fraud and
indirect methods Of evading its proyi-
sions.
1t Is likewise Impractical to secure
oil or gas lands. or phosphate lands.
under the general Nunerai laws. a.
Of control or ability III tho depart
ment to prevent rnorsupusy in lie sale
Of the deposits when title IL once Sc
cured thereto. Awaiting remedial leg
islatton from Chngrtts all known
areas Of public lands containing these
deposits are. under tssrrcfnry4 with
drawals from spftsats 4 entry and III
Is hoped that sCongrses will furnish
the Interior Department with the ne
cessary rnachinerysto safeiy and pro-
poriy guard tire public interest Ia
their ultimate disposition."
Pincbot Not Present.
Ex-Chiet Forester Pinehot. who
was to. have appeared on the hrss
day Of the Congress. has wired that
he cannot come 49, Va 1
Governor Eberhardt delivered an
Address 81 welcome to-day,
Clinton r. woodruff. Of Phtladcl-
phiA, secretary OF the National EtviS
Federation. spoke on Civic Reform. T
no Hold Court In Aiexands1A.
u s,zS sIuavo Ednnnnf W9AdiiIF3nd the on.
GERS o. the Uni ed seAtes District Court
YSf Eastern sYirRtlia ;.iwill leave Wed
pe4daY evening Tor Alkxandrta where
Ans adjourned teriF AZ the court will
e hsid during shs nsxt thtss or four
fs sz " III s s+ ~ TX 4