The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-09-06
TAFY'S SPEECH
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The impulse of the whole new COM
munity was to encourage the coming
of population, the increase of settle
ment and the opening up of business,
and he who demurred in the slightest
degree to any step which promised ad-
ditionni development Of the idle re-
sources at hand was regarded as
traitor to his neighbors and an OBJ
structor to public progress. But now
that the communities have become old,
now that the flush of enthusiastic ex-
pansion has died away, now that the
would be pioneers have come TO re-
nlize that all the richest lands In the
country have been taken up, we have
perceived the necessity for change
OF policy in the disposition of our ma
tional resources so as to prevent the
continuance of the waste which has
characterized our phenomenal growth
In the past
Today we desire to restrict and re-
tain under public control the acquisi-
ton and use by the capitalist Of our
natural resources.
A Roosevelt Heritage.
Among scientific men and thoughtful
observers, however. the danger has al
ways been present, but 1t needed some
one to bring home the crying need for
Q remedy of this evil so as to impress
itself on the public mind and lead to
the formation of public opinion and ac-
ton by the representatives of the peo-
ole. Theodore Roosevelt took up this
task in the last two years of his Sec
ond administration, and well did he
perform It
IA president Of the United States l
have, as it were, Inherited this policy.
and I rejoice in my heritage. / prize
my high opportunity to do all that an
executive can do to help great people
realize a great national ambition, for
conservation is national 1t affects
every man Of US, every woman. every
child.
What can do IN the cause shall
do. not as president Of a party, but as
president of the whole people. conser-
yation is not a question Of politics or
of factions or OF persons. 1t is ques-
tion that affects the vital welfare OF all
of us-of our children and our chill
dren's children. / urge that no good
can come from meetings Of this sort
unless we ascribe to those who take
part in them and who are apparently
striving worthily in the cause all prop
err motives and unless we judicially
consider every measure or method pro-
posed with a view to its effectiveness
In achieving our common purpose and
wholly without regard to who proposes
It or who win claim the credit for its
adoption
The problems are OF very great diff
Guilty and call for the calmest consider
alton and clearest foresight. Many Of
the questions presented have phases
that are new In this country. and 1t is
possible that in their solution we may
have to attempt first one way and then
another.
What I wish to emphasize, however.
is that a satisfactory conclusion can
only be reached promptly If we avoid
acrimony, imputations of bad faith
and political controversy.
The public domain of the govern
ment Of the United States, including
ali the cessions from those of the
thirteen states that made cessions to
the United States and including Alas
ka, amounted In all to about 100000
600 acres OF this there are left as
purely government property outside OF
Alaska something like 700.000.000 of
acres. OF this the national forest re-
serves in the United States proper en-
brace 144.000.000 acres.
The rest is largely mountain or arid
country. offering some opportunity for
agriculture by dry farming and by
reclamation and containing metals as
well as coal. phosphates. oils and nat
ural gas. Then the government owns
many tracts of land lying along the
margins Of streams that have water
power, the use Of which is necessary
In the conversion Of the power into
electricity and Its transmission
Government Ownership.
Inc present congress passed Dill
OF great importance. severing the own
ership Of coal by the government in
the ground from the surface and per-
uniting homestead entries upon the
surface OF the land. which. when per-
fected, give the settler the right to
farm the surface. while the coal be-
meath the surface is retained in own
ership by the government and may be
disposed of by 1t under other laws.
There is no crying need for radical
reform in the methods of disposing OF
what are really agricultural lands.
The present laws have worked we'll
The enlarged homestead law has en-
eouraged the successful farming Of
lands in the semiarid regions. OF
course the teachings Of the agricul-
tural department as to how these sub
arid lands may he treated and soil
preserved for useful culture are Of the
very essence Of conservation.
Then conservation Of agricultural
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