The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-08
TAFT AND ROOSEVELT ON
CONSERVATION.

seFNaiIon speech, and former President
Roosevelt has made his conservation
speech. Each, presumably, has eX-
pressed his convictions. il there Is any
contest between them on this great
issue of the day surely we should now
be able to discover It. If there Is any
truth in the reports from St Paul that
they have reached their break over
conservation, 1t must be possible to find
evidences OF it IN the words spoken by
each before the conservation congress
II you lay the speeches of Mr.. Taft
and of Colonel Roosevelt side by side
and compare them, what do you indz
You find the two men, the President
and his predecessor, in accord on many
OF the issues of conservation. You find
them holding divergent views on one of
the important issues of conservation
the control of water power sites
Throughout ms speech, Colonel RoOse-
welt emphasized the necessity OF nation
al legislation for the conservation Of
natural resources, and especially of
water power. IN his speech Mr. Taft
discussed both Federal and State regu-
lation OF water power. without declar-
ing positively for either, and eoneluC-
ing with the statement:
do not express an opinion upon
the controversy thus made OF q pref
erence as 10 the two methods of treat
ing wateT-pOWeT sites shall submit
the matter to Congress and urge that
one or the other of the two plans be
adopted
At another point in his speech Mr..
Taft indicated that he leans 20 the
State rights theory lie said:
In these days there is a disposition
TO look too much 20 the Federal Gov
eminent for everything ] am liberal
in the construction OF the Constitution
with reference TO Federal power, but
an firmly convinced that the ONLY
safe course for us 10 pursue IS 10 hold
fast TO the limitations Of the Consutu-
ton and 10 guard as sacred the pow
ers OF the States
In his speech. delivered the day after
Mr.. Taft spoke, Colonel Roosevelt
specifically indoTsed certain of the Pres
ident's conservation views Early IN
Hs address he said
All friends of conservation should
be in heartIeSt agreement with the
policy which the President laid down
in connection with the coal OIL and
phosphate lands and am glad 10 be
able TO say that at its last session
Congress finally completed the work
of separating the surface title 10 the
land from the mineral beneath it
1t Is significant that Colonel RoOse-
welt failed to make any reference to
what the President said on the question
of water-Power sites
Taking up the water-Power question
himself. Colonel Roosevelt handled It
without gloves. He expressed his
theories on this issue in the following,
plain language:
There is apparent 10 the judicious
observer q distinct tendency on the
part of our opponents TO cloud the is
sue by raising the question OF state
against Federal jurisdiction
In 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
q against corporations. most Of which
are financed or owned on the AtlanJlc
coast. will be Federal laws and the
Federal Executive. That Is why / so
strongly oppose the demand TO -urn
these matters over 20 the states IL
is fundamentally 4 SerT,-ss-d az inst
the interest OF the plain people. OF
the people OF small ..EeaF-S, against
the interest of our ClIilTen and our
chfIdren-s children and Il Is pTimar-
fTv in the interest OF me great cor
DoraffOnS which desi-s 10 escape all
Government control
Nanifestly, 1t Is presUming too much
TO state that the preceding declarations
of the President and the former Presi-
dent prove that they are estranged,
that the conservation ISSUE has develop
ed into fight for Federal control on
the one side and for state control on
the other. with Colonel Roosevelt lead
ing one faction and Mr.. Taft leading
the other. Colonel Roosevelt favors Fed
eraI control. NIr- Taft declines TO eN-
press an opinion and says he VIII call
the attention of Congress TO both plans
without recommending either
Nothing else in the two speeches
could be interpreted as autagoHism or
the part OF either man toward the
other. The Roosevelt followers and the
railroad. lumber. and mining represen-
tatives may have a hot fight at &.
Paul. but So far as outward evidence
shows. Colonel Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft
are as good friends as ever