The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-08-30

Unfortunately In The east we nave ~
this matter paid the penalty OF not
having our forest land under national
control, and the penalty has been Sc.
we're. Most OF the states. although
they are old states, have not protected
their forests, each failing to act by
itself, because the action was really
the common concern OF all. aud where
action Ia the common concern of all
experience has shown that Il can only
he proftaby undertaken by the ma
tional government.
As result OF the imposslbillty Of
getting such wise action by the sew
eral state governments in the east we
are doing our best TO get national leg
islation under which the national gov
ernment, at the expense OF millions of
dollars. shall undertake to do as re.
CARDS the Appalachlans and White
mountains OF the east what IL Is now
doing In the Rocky mountains here
out west.
Water Power.
Take the question Of the control OF
the water power sites. The enormous
importance of water power sites TO
the future industrial development of
this country has only been realized
within very few years. Unfortunate.
~ the realization has come too late as
. regards many of the power sites. but
many yet remain with which our
hands are free to deal We should
make II our duty to see that hereafter
the power sites are kept under The con.
trol of the general government for the
use OF the people as n whole.
The fee should remain with the pcO.
pie as a whole, while the use IL leased
on terms which shall secure an ample
reward to the lessees, which shall en-
courage the development and use or
the water power, but which shall not
create permanent monopoly or per.
NIT the development To he antl.social.
to he In any respect hostile 10 the pub.
lie good
The nation alone has the power to
do this effectively, and II IL for this
reason that you will find those corpo
rations which wish to gain improper
advantage and to be freed from eff
Client control on the part of the public
doing all that they oan TO secure the
substitution of state for national aC
tiOn
There IL something fairly comic in
the appeal made by many of these
H.. - l....
you realize that the great corporations
seeking the privileges Of developing
the water power In any given state are
at least as apt TO be owned outside
that state as within It. In this coun.
try nowadays capital has II national
and not state use.
The great corporations which are
managed and largely owned in the
older states are those which are most
In evidence In developing aud using
ests Of the new territories and the new
states from Alaska to Arizona.
have been genuinely amused dur
Ing the past two months ut having ar
guments presented TO me ON behalf OF
certain rich men from New York and
Ohio. for instance. as to why Colorado
and other Rocky mountain states
should manage their own water power
sites. Now. these men may be good
citizens according 20 their lights, but
naturally enough their special interest
obscures their sense OF the public need.
and as their object Is to escape an eff
cient control, exercised IN the interest
of all the people OF the country, they
clamor 10 he put under the state in
stead Of under the nation.
If we are foolish enough to grant
their requests we shall have ourselves
TO blame when we wake up to find that
we have permitted another privilege
To intrcnch itself and another portion
OF what should he kept for the public
good to be turned over to individuals
for purposes Of private enrichment.
During the last session OF congress
bills were introduced 10 transfer the
water power sites IN the national for
ests and the public domain to the con
troll Of the states. ] cannot state too
strongly my belief that these measures
are unwise and thai IL would he disas-
trous to enact theEi into Jaw.
In substance thClr rf'r would be ia
free these great spt lal interests from
such a bill would he y victory OF the
special interests over the general wei
| fare aud long backward stel down