The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-09-16
bring before 100. people

bring before 1oo,ooo,ooo people a
great conception like that Of conser.
walton, and convince them that it is
right.
abuses committed in the name of
a just cause are familiar to all Of US.
Many unwise things are done and
many unwise measures are advocated
tn the name of conservation, either
through ignorance, or by those whose
interest lies not in promoting the
movement, but in retarding it. For
example, to stop water power de-
velopment by needless refusal to is
sue permits for water power or pri-
vate irrigation works on the publle
lands inevitably leads many men,
friendly to conservation and believ-
ers in its general principles, to as
sumo hat it's practical application is
necessarily a check upon progress.
Nothing could be more mistaken.
The idea, widely circulated of late,
that conservation mean locking up
the natural resources for the exclus-
i've use of later generations, is
wholly mistaken. Our purpose is to
make full use of these resources, but
to consider our sons and daughters
as we'll as ourselves; just as a farm
er uses his farm in ways to preserve
it's future usefulness.
"This congress is a direct appeal
to the patriotism of our whole PEG,
pie. The nation wisely looks to such
gatherings for counsel and leader,
ship. Let that leadership be sound,
definite, practical, and on the side OF
all the people. 1t would be no small
misfortune if a meeting such as this
should ever fall into the hands of the
open enemies or false friends of the
great movement which it represents,
1T is our duty and our desire to
make this land of ours a better home
for the race. but our duty does no,
stop there. We must also work fol
a better nation to live in this better
land. The development and conser.
walton of our national character and
our free institutions must go hand
in hand with the development and
conservation of u natural re-
sources, which the governors confer.
ence so well called the foundations
of u prosperity. Whatever pro.
gress we may make as q nation
whatever wealth we may accumulate
however far we may push mechani.
cal development and production, we
shall never reach a point where oul
welfare can depend in the last anal.
ysis on anything but honesty, cour.
age, loyalty and good citizenship
The homely virtues are the lasting
ones, and the road which leads tc
them is the road to genuine and last.
ing success.
What this country needs is wha,
every free country must set before i,
as the great goal toward which il
works-an equal opportunity TO,
life. liberty and the pursuit Of happ,.
ness for every one Of its citizens. re
achieve this end we must put a stot
to the improper political dominion
no less than to the improper eco
nomic dominion, of the great specia,
interests. This country, its natura,
resources, its natural advantages, TT
opportunities, and Its institutions
belong to all its citizens. They can
not be enjoyed fully and freely under
any government in which the specia
interests as such have a voice. Thu
supreme political task Of our day. the
indispensable condition Of nationa
efficiency and national welfare, is tt
drive the special interests out of oul
public life."