East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-09-06
THEODORE ROOSEVELT AIRS
HIS VIEWS ON CONSERVATION


moment the national conservation
association was organized 1t took
up the work which otherwise would
not have been done, and IL exercised
most useful influence in prevent
ing bad legislation, in securing the
Introduction Of better conservation
measures at the past session of con-
gress, and in promoting the passage
of wise laws. 1t deserves the con-
| fidence and support Of every citizen
| interested in the wise development
and preservation of our natural re-
| sources, and in preventing them from
passing into the hands of uncontrolled
| monopoles. II joins with the nation
al conservation congress in holding
this meeting. / am here by the joint
| invitation OF both.
State and Federal Courts.
But while we OF the United States
are anxious, as / believe we are able,
| to be of assistance to others. there
are problems of our own which we
must not overlook One of the most
important conservation questions of
the moment relates to the control OF
water power monopoly in the public
| interest. There IL apparent to the
judicious observer a distinct, tendency
on the part OF our opponents to cloud
the issue by raising the question of
state as against federal jurisdiction.
/ We are ready to meet that issue II it
is forced upon US. But there is no
hope for the plain people in such
conflicts of jurisdictions. The es-
! 10 nf
splitting legal technicalities. 1t is
| simply this: Who can best regulate
the special interests for the public
good? Most of the predatory corpor-
atoms are interstate or have inter-
state affiliations. Therefore they are
largely out of reach of effective state
control, and fall OF necessity with in
the federal Jurisdiction. One of the
prime objects of those among them
that are grasping and greedy is to
avoid an effective control either by
state or nation; and they advocate at
this time state control simply because
they believe II to be the least effective
Ir the great fight OF the people to
drive the special interests from the
domination Of our government, the
nation is stronger and its jurisdiction
Is more effective than that OF any
state The most effective weapon
against these great corporations. most
OF which are financed and owned on
the Atlantic coast, will be federal
laws and the federal executive. That
is why I so strongly oppose the de-
mand to turn these matters over to
the state. II Is fundamentally a de-
mand against the interests of the
plain people. OF the people of small
J means, against the interests of our
! children and our children's children;
and 1t is primarily in the interest of
the great corporations which desire
70 escape all government control.
The Conservation Fight.
One OF the difficulties in putting
into practice the conservation idea Is
that the field to which II applies is
constantly growing in the public mind.
II has been slight task to bring be-
fore 00,000,00 people a great con-
ception like that OF conservation, and
convince them that it is right. This
much we have accomplished. But
there remains much to be cleared up,
and many Observation-Disclosures to be
removed These Misunderstanding
are due in part at least to direct mis-
representation by the men to whose
interest 1t is that conservation should
not prosper. For example, we find
: /, constantly said by men who should
know better. that temporary with
drawals. such as the Withdrawals of
: coal lands. will permanently check
development. Yet the fact is that
, these Withdrawals have no purpose
except to prevent the coal lands from
, passing into private ownership until
congress can pass laws to open them
! to development under conditions Just
alike to the public and to the men
= who will do the developing. If there
l Il delay. the responsibility for It rests
> not on the men who made the with
e drawals to protect the public interest
l hut on those who prevent congress
t from passing wise legislation. and so
1 putting an end to the need for with
r drawals.
4 Abuses committed in the name of
= n Just cause are familiar to all of us
= Many unwise things are done and
e many unwlse measures are advocated
: in the name of conservation. either
e through ignorance, or by those whose
n interest lies not in promoting the
= movement but in retardlng II. For
1 example, to stop water power devel-
= opment by needless refusal to issue
n permits for water power or private
e irrigation works on the public lands
: inevitably leads many men, friendly
: to conservation and believers in It's
: general principles. to assume that its
l. practical application is necessarily O
: check upon progress. Nothing could
Q be more mistaken The idea, widely
9 circulated of late. that conservation
II means locking up the natural resour.
i ces for the exclusive use of later gen
II erations. is wholly mistaken. OuI
: purpose Is to make full use of thes,
: resources, but to consider our som
. and daughters as we'll as ourselves
just as a farmer uses his farm in way
to preserve Its future usefulness. Con
servation is the road to national eff
NJ