Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-09-07
the resources for the people is fun Of
hope for US ALL
State and Federal Control.

But while we of the United States are
anxious, as I believe we are able, to be
OF assistance to others there are prob
lens of our own which we must nc over
look. One of the most importar- con-
servation questions of the moment relates
TO the control of water power monopoly
in the public interest. There is apparent
to the judicious observer distinct ten
dency 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 if it is forced
upon US. But there is hope for the
plain people in such conflicts of jurisdic-
ton. The essential question is not one
OF hair-splitting legal technicalities. 1t is
simply this: Who can best regulate the
special interests for the public good?
Most of the predatory corporations are
interstate or have interstate affiliations.
Therefore they are largely out of reach Of
effective state control, and fall of neces-
sity within the federal jurisdiction. One
of the prime objects of those among them
that are grasping and greedy is to avoid
any effective control either by state or
nation; and they advocate at this time
state control simply because they believe
it to be the least effective. In the great
fight of the people to drive the special
interests from the domination Of our gov
eminent the nation is stronger and its
jurisdiction is more effective than that OF
against these great corporations. most OF
which are financed and owned on the At
lantic coast will be federal laws and tho
federal executive. That. Is why L SO
strongly oppose the demand to turn these
matters over to the states. 1t is funda-
mentally a demand against the interest
of the plain people, of the people of small
means, against the interest of our chill
dren and our children's children; and 1t
is primarily in the interest of the great
corporations which desire to escape all
government control.
The Conservation Fight.
On of the difficulties in putting into
practise the conservation idea is that the
field to which it applies is constantly
growing in the public mind. 1t has been
no slight task to bring before 100000 peo-
pie a great conception like that of con-
servation and convince them that 1t Is
right. This much we have accom-
plished But there remains much to be
cleared up, and many misunderstanding
to be removed. These MISUNDERSTANDING
are due in part at least to direct mis-
representation by the men to whose
interest it is that conservation should not
prosper For example. we find 1t con-
stantly said by men who should know
better that temporary Withdrawals,
such as the Withdrawals of coal lands.
will permanently check development. Yet
the fact is that these Withdrawals nave
no purpose except to prevent the coal
lands from passing into private owner
shin until CONGRESS can pass laws to open
them to development under conditions
lust alike to the public and to the men
who will do the developing. If there fs
DELAY. the responsibility for 1t rests, not
on the men who made the withdrawals to
protect the public interest but on those
who prevent congress from passing wise
legislation. and so putting an end to the
need for Withdrawals.
Abuses committed in the name of Just
cause are familiar to all of us. Many
unwise things are done and many unWise
measures are advocated in the name or
conservation, either through ignorance,
or nv those whose interest lies not in pro-
noting the movement, but in retard1ng II.
For example to stop water power deVel-
opment by needless refusal to issue per-
rnfts for water power or private irrigation
works on the public lands inevitably leads
many men, friendly to conservation ana
believers in it's general principles, to as
sumo that its practical application Is nee
essarily 81 check upon progress. Nothing
could be more mistaken. The idea, widely
circulated of late that conservation means
locking up of the natural resources for the
exclusive use of future generations, IS
wholly mistaken. Our purpose is to make
full use Of these resources, but to cons1d-
err our sons and daughters as well as our
selves; lust as a farmer uses his farm
In ways to preserve its future usefulness.
Conservation is the road to national eff
fciencv. and it stands for ample and wise
development.
But In spite of these difficulties, most
of which are doubtless inevitable in any
movement of this kind. conservation has
made marvellous progress. l have been
astounded and delighted on my return
of he made i
was away We have right to congratu-
late ourselves on this marvellous progress;
hut there is no reason for believing that
the fight is won. In the beginning the
special interests, who are our CHER oppo-
nents in the conservation fight. paid little
heed to the movement, because they nell
ther understood It. nor saw that II 1t won
thew must lose But with the progress or
conservation in the minds OF our people
the fight is getting sharper. The nearer
we aDproach to victory. the b1tterer the
opposition that we must meet, and the
greater the need for caution and watch
fulness Open opposition we can over
come but I warn you especially against
the men who come to congresses such as
this. ostensibly as disinterested citizens,
but actually as the paid agents OF the
special interests. I heartily approve the
attitude of any corporation. interested IN
the deliberations of meeting such as
tbs which comes hither to advocate. by
its openly accredited agents, views which
# believes the meeting should have In
mind But I condemn with equal readl-
ness the appearance of a corporate agent
before any convention who does not de-
clare himself frankly as SUCH
This congress is direct appeal to the
patriotism of our whole people. The
nation wisely looks to such gatherings
for counsel and leadership, 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 repre-
sents.
It is our duty and our desire to make
this land of ours a better home for the
race. but our duty does not stop there.
We must also work for better nation to
live in this better land. The development
and conservation of our national charac-
acter and our free institutions must go
hand in hand with the development and
conservation of our natural resources,
which the governors conference so well
called the foundations of our prosperity.
Whatever progress we may make as
nation, whatever wealth we may accu-
mulate however far we may push me-
chanical development and production, we
shall never reach point where our well
fare can depend in the last analysis on
hut honesty courage. lOYaltv.