Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-08
FATHER OF NATION. WIDE MOVE
MENT DELIVERS ADDRESS AT
ST. PAUL CONFERENCE.
POINTS OUT WEAKNESSES
OF STATE CONTROL SYSTEM
Former Forester In Strong Defense Of
the Roosevelt Pinchot Garfield Plan
AS Advooated-ResoIutions Commit
tee Demands Control by Nation
Rather Than by States.

ST Paul, Sept. s.-At noon the reso-
lutions committee of the conservation
congress referred to the sub committee
for revision the various planks for con-
servation of natural resources. Ihe
committee demanded control by the ma
ton rather than by states. The COM
mittee voted to advocate before the
national board of health.
Pinchot in Address.
Former Forester Clifford Pinchot de-
liyered the principal address at today's
session of the congress. He said In
part:
within the last two years, conser-
walton has passed out OF the realm VI
an unimpeachable general prlnclple M
to that of a practical fighting apteHlp'
to get things done. 1t has oesun lo
step on the toes or the oeheiicis'iae'
and the prospective beneficiaries of un-
just privilege. and the resulting opposl-
ton. considering the quarters whence
it comes. is one Of the best proofs that
conservation is a i've movement ioi
the general good.
1.-THE people believe in conservation.
Now when any great movement has es-
tablished itself so firmly in the public
mind that direct attack upon 1t Will
not pay, the regular method is to ap-
prove it in general terms. and then
condemn its methods and Its men. so
now the demand from the opponents OF
conservation is not at all that we shall
abardon the principle Of the greatest
good Of us all for the longest time IN
using our natural resources. Inc sorl
pedal conservationiStS merely ask thal
conservation as applied shall be Wnat
they call rational, safe. and sane. SAFE
and sane legislation, as that expression
is used by the men who use 1t most,
means legislation not unfriendly to the
continued control Of our public affairs
by the special interests. Safe and sane
conservation, as that expression is used
by these same men, means conserva-
ton so carefully sterilized that 1T will
do the special interests no harm and
the people no good.
when the conservation movement
began to tell. it developed without de-
lay that the one great obstacle to
practical progress lay in the political
power of the special interests. Every ef-
for the general welfare was met by the
legislative agents OF the men who
wanted to exploit it for their private
profit. The effort to get things done
on conservation taught us clearly. un-
mis- takably, and with little delay, that
so long as the political domination Of
the great business interests endures,
their corrupt control of legislation will
carry with 1t the nonopolistic control
of the natural resources also. This Is
what we face today in the effort to ap-
ply conservation.
The fundamental principles of con-
servation are few and simple. One OF
the first Is that the natural resources
and natural advantages belong to all
the people. and should be developed.
protected. and perpetuated directly for
the benefit of all the people, and not
mainly for the profit of a few
Another is that the natural re-
still owned by the people which
are necessaries Of life, like coal and
water power, should remain in public
ownership and should be disposed Of
only under lease for limited periods,
and with fair compensation to the pub
tic for the rights granted.
As to Our Waters.
II. Every stream should be made
useful for every purpose in which 1t
can be made to serve the public. The
Of broad plan is needed
without delay for the development Of
our waterways for navigation, domestic
supply, irrigation, drainage, and power.
"2. Every power site now in state or
should be disposed of only under lease
for limited time and with fair COM
pensation to the public.
49, In the development of our water
ways the cooperation of the states
with the nation is essential for the gen.
eral welfare.
As to Our Forests.
"1. All forests necessary for the pub
lie welfare should be in the public own
ership, such as the national forests al
ready in existence, the proposed APP
palachian and White Mountain nation
al forests, and the state forests Of New
York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and
other states.
"2 The protection Of forests against
fire is the first duty in forestry of
states and nation alike. The way to
stop fires is to get men to them as soon
as they begin. The maintenance and
extension OF forest fire patrol by the
nation. the states and their subdi-
visions, and by associations or private
who own timber lands, is alb
solutely necessary.
"3. The protection Of existing for
ests by wise use is the first step In
forestry. Reforestration is the second
"a. Land bearing forests should be
taxed annually on the land value alone,
and the timber crop should be taxed
when it is cut, so that private forestry
may be encouraged.
"5. The private ownership of forest
land is a public trust. and the people
have both the right and the duty to
regulate the use of such lands in the
general interest.
A. to Lands.
81 Every acre o. land should be