The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-19
7EST is ONLY ASKING FOR "SQUARE DEAL

were to undertake to perform those
functions 1t would break down. Tho ma
| chnery would not be able to perform
the duty The pressure is already very
| heavy upon national machinery to do
| It's present work. The constitu-
| ton of the United States prohibits the
states from making any agreement with
| each other without the consent of con-
gresS but you can make any number OF
| agreements with the consent OF con-
gress Why should not the powers that
are reserved to the state sovereignties
! be exercised by those sovereisnties. with
| wise regard for the common interest
upon conference, upon complete under
standing of the duties Of good neghbor-
| hood. under a firm resolve to make II
| wholly unnecessary that this continual
| pressure TO force the national govern
ment into the performance of the duties
| that the states ought to perform should
continue""
These are impressive sentiments com, com
| they arc most applicable at this time.
Faith in American People.
I have every confidence In the justice
and fairness Of the judgment OF the
American people when they have all the
| facts before them from which to draw
| their conclusions. Holding to this be.
| lief. and having In mind the confusion OF
| terms, the hysterla of Misrepresentation
| the Juggling of facts, the playing upon
words and the appeals 10 passions and
| to prejudices that have characterized 50
| great question OF conservation L felt
| that 1t was high time that the western
states unite in demanding a calmer
more dispassionate and a saner discus
sion and consideration OF this great ma
| tional question.
There is no Disgusting tne fact that
throughout the west thoughtful mon In
all walks OF life are becoming alarmed
over tho growing spirit OF intolerance
| that appears to dominate the national
conferences on this subject, An intol-
| erance that clings TO certain precon-
coived ideas relative to tho application
| OF the conservation principles regardless
of conditions encountered, in defiance OF
law and contemDtuous OF the rights OF
| others This intolerance as Intolerance
| ever has been, is born OF ignorance; not
the Ignorance of illiteracy, but an ignor-
ance growing out OF misconception, mis-
representation and false reasoning. This
| OF conservation literature throughout the
country. which shows total disregard
for the claims OF the states most direct
| ly interested. those states In which the
| resources TO be conserved are located.
This literature is having It's effect In
molding popular opinion. In formulat-
| inS the popular demands for legislation
on this subject, AS consequence, we
| hear everywhere throughout the east
| demand for national conservation or our
J forests Of our minerals and or our water
powers. Every withdrawal OF tracts OF
the public domain frcm entry is hailed
with approval; and every restoration OF
n portion of previously Withdrawn trac.
| is greeted with suspicion. Nowhere does
the lawful jurisdiction OF the states ap-
pear TO be regarded seriously; rarely
arc their sovereign rights given consid-
to prevail that the states have no rights
| that are bound TO be respected or II they
have that they are incapable OF prop
crly caring for those rights. This atti-
quarters as even 10 distrust the honest
purpose of the states, and to consider
that the majority of our citizens are un-
regenerated despoilers OF the pubic DO
main.
True Conservation.
is that conservation that utilizes eco
nomicaly and at the same time, as lar
as possible, perpetuates. IL IS not
through the withdrawal OF resources from
| Individual acquisition. and the making
OF such stringent conditions that their
development In II new country VIII NOT
readily be undertaken No beneht VIII
accrue to the nation If the development
OF the western states is seriously re-
tardcd. Increase In population, CROWN
of communities. the building of manu-
factories, the expansion Of commerce, the
multiplication of industries, are what
| gives value to the resources and strength
to the nation, The west would be stni
| In the possession of the untutored saw
age If the nation had followed any other
! than the liberal policy that has charac-
teriZed It's handling of the public do
main in the past.
The professed purpose of conserVa-
! ton OF our resources is to protect the
people from designing interests and pre-
vent great monopolies In private hapds
of those resources; also that the with
| drawals of land were Intended not only
to save the timber lands from monopoly.
but to conserve the water supplies by
protecting the watersheds from denuda-
ton. With this policy we arc IN hearty
| accord
How near has the present administra-
tion of our national resources approacneo
| this much desired consummation? In the
! light of our experience, 1t has worked
l TO the detriment OF these western states
and to the direct disadvantage OF the big
interests that had previously gained from
the federal government control OF a large
| share of the coal, farming and timber
areas
i So-Called Forest Reserves.
Vast Withdrawals OF the public domain
have been made throughout the west
under the guise of conservation. Ap-
proximately. 170. 100000 acres OF land nave
been placed In so-called forest reserves
covering n large portion OF the western
states. Many Of these Withdrawals have
been made without knowledge OF the
character OF the lands included or con-
sldcratton OF their effect on the states
In my own state, over l2.0OO.Oo0 acres
| have been placed in reserve. or 2Ia pei
cent OF the entire area of the state. and
within that area arc tracts OF land on
which Il stick of timber never grew and
on which timber never can be made to
grow prohtaby.
| When Washington was admitted to
statehood, the federal government grant
cd to us sections 16 and y6 In every town
ship for the support of our common
schools. The forest reserves created have
| sequestcred over 100000 acres OF this
grant. The state has had to fight con-
sianuy to secure indemnity selections for
this land, while the federal government
has been deriving a revenue from grazing
privileges and the sale of timber on those
| sections. The state. In making lieu Sc
lectlons, can take only surveyed lands
but the Northern Pacihc railroad which
was endowed with a grant Of every alter
nate section for forty miles on each side
OF It's right Of way, has been permitted
In tho past 10 select or scrip unsurveyed
land Here the discrimination has been
directly against the people of our state
and in favor Of Il big interest from which
the federal government was presumed to
be protecting them
Into Hands of Interests.
AS instances OF the manner In which
The conservation policy OF the government