The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-20
DENOUNCEs EFFORT
To STRANGLE WEST
Senator Borah of Idaho De
clares Policy to Be Libel
ON Justice.
DRIVES OUT SETTLERS
Shows How Home Steaders Are
Forced to Have Country-Says
Many Move TO Canada.

WASHINGTON, June 20.--In q
vigorous speech Senator Borah, OF
Idaho, one-third of the area of which
In In government reservations. dis
cussed conservation In the senate to-
day declaring that the people OF the
Western States could better attend to
their local afrairs than a bureau in
Washington. In being deprived of the
use OF their agricultural lands, their
mines and power sites, they were de-
MED equality. which was part OF a
States heritage, he said;
Let us have an understanding" he
said. that any conservation policy
agreed upon must have as it's basic
principle that OF economic use and de-
veIopment These resources are not
to lie idle, Imprisoned. and unuseabie.
Ii you will join with US in their dedi-
cation to the economic use of those
who will develop them we will gladly
join you In formulating policy of
regulation and control which Will
avoid waste, extravaganza and
monopoly in so far as II liz possible.
But upon a policy Of non-use, of
atrangulation OF the great West, we
stop at the first call for legislation. IL
strangulation Is to be had II will first
be tried upon some of the measures in
this body. We have reached, II seems.
that pitiabie. indefensiole position, &C
cording to those who would tie up our
resources, where we are willing TO
confess before the world that as law
makers we are inefficient, as admins
traitors worthless. and that our citizen
ship is so brazen and corrupt that we
can no longer do business. but must
out OF sheer impotency shut up shop.
Declare Libel.
Il denounce such a theory as q libel
upon our citizenship, a manufactured
and l-distributed libel upon the
West. and for Interior and selfish mo-
tives l say to this senate that any
legislation upon this subject must be
upon the basis that Western citizen
ship lis honest, law-abiding, and in
teliigent; that Western people appre-
ciate the value of these resources
and propose to protect them; that
thy are loyal to their States and to
the nation as whole, or you will
make very slow progress In this cham
Der.
The policy which will hold the
agricultural land from production anc
binders industrial life, which forces
tho citizen into a city or into foreign
cline for lands is not only short-sight-
ed and unwise. but IL In blunder,
which. In legislation Is even worse
than q crime.
He said that as result OF cruel,
unjust and illegal system in pre-
Stunning every settler to be a purjurer
and a swindler" the term OF residence
OF the settlers on his land was ex-
tended to seven OF eight years, and
he was exposed to great expense and
hardship.
often. the homesteader." he said.
Impoverished and harassed has given
up the work Of ave years and the pros
pect of a home and has gone into town
to enter the competitive tfefd OF the
day laborer This system Is an out
rageous violation of law and every
principle Of justice"
I'm Canada. he adds. the settlement
laws are liberal and are administered
on the theory that every man is inno-
cent until he Is proved guilty.