The state herald., 1910-09-02

be allowed to take up the work, which
because 1t is done so late. cannot be so
we'll done as II 1t had been begun earlier.
| Water Power.
Take the question OF the control of the
water power sites. The enormous impor-
tance of water power sites to the future
Industrial development of this country
| has only been realized within n very few
years. unfortunately. the realization has
come too late as regards many of the
| power Sites but many vet remain with
| which our hands are free to deal. We
| should make II our duty to see that here
| after the power sites are kept under the
| control of the general government. for
; the use OF the people as whole. The
fee should remain with the people as a
whole. while the use Is leased on terms
which shall secure an ample reward to
the lessees. which shall encourage the de-
velopment and use of the water power,
but which shall not create n permanent
monopoly or permit the development to
be anti,social. to be in any respect hostile
to the public good Tho Nation alone has
the power to do this effectively, and II is
for this reason that you will find those
corporations which wish to gain improper
advantage and to be freed from efficient
control on the part of tho public. doing
all that they can to secure the substitu-
ton of state for National action.
There is something fairly comic in the
appeal made by many of these men In
favor of state control when you realize
that the great corporations seeking the
privileges OF developing the water power
In any given state are at least as apt to
he owned outside that state as within II.
In this country, nowadays. capital has a
National and not a state use. The great
corporations which are managed and
largely owned In the older states are
those which are most In evidence in de-
veloping and using the mines and water
powers and forests OF the new territories
and the new states, from Alaska to Ari-
zona- have been genuinely amused du-
ring the past two months at having nrgu-
ments presented to me on behalf of GER
tain rich men from New York and Ohio,
for instance. as to why Colorado and 9TH
er Rocky Mountain states should manage
their own water power sites. Now these
men may be good citizens according to
their lights, but naturally enough their
special interest obscures their sense OF the
public need: and as their object is to
escape an efficient CONTROL exercised in
the interest of all the people of the coun-
try. they clamor to be put under the state
instead of under the Nation. II we are
foolish enough to grant their requests, we
shall have ourselves to blame when we
wake up to flnd that we have permitted
another privilege to intrench itself and
another portion of what should be kept
for the public good to be turned over to
individuals for purposes OF private en-
richment. During the last session OF
congress bills were introduced to transfer
the water power sites in the National
Forests and the Public Domain to the
control of the states. I cannot state too
strongly my belief that these measures
are unwise. and that It would be disas-
trous to enact them into law. In sub
THAR affart hn IN, hau
great special interests from all effective
control The passage of such a bill would
be n victory OF the special interests over
the general welfare. and n long backward
step down the hill OF progress we have OF
late been climbing.
Our people have for many years pro-
ceeded upon the assumption that the
Nation should control the public land. 1t
is TO this assumption of National outlook
that we owe our wisest land legislation.
from the Homestead Law TO the Irrigation
Law. The wise use OF our public domain
has always been conditioned upon Ma
tional action, The states can greatly help,
but the Nation must take the lead. as re-
CARDS the land. as regards the forests and
waters; and perhaps peculiarly in the case
OF the waters. because almost all streams
are really Interstate streams
Coal Lands.
The same principle applies with pecu-
liar force to the coal lands, and especially
TO the coal lands in Alaska. whose pro-
tection and ownership by the Federal
government is so necessary. both for full
and free Industrial development in the
west. and for the needs of our fleet In the
Pacific. The coal mines should be leased,
not sold. and those who mine tho coal
should pay back a part OF the profit TO
the people. IL Is the right and duty of the
people TO demand the most vigiinnt trus-
teeshlp on that part OF that branch OF
the Federal government In charge OF the
tn"l resources OF the United States.
The Neutral Ground.
Remember also that many Of the men
who protest loudly against effective
national action would be the first 10
turn round and protest against stnte
action N such action In Its turn became
effective, and would then unhositating-
~ invoke the law to show that the
state Ind no constitutional power to
act, Long experience has shown that
II Is by no means impossible. In cases
OF constitutional doubt. to get one set
Of judicial decisions which render IL
dihcult for the nation To act and an
other set which render IL impossible
Tor the state to act In each case the
privileged benefcinries OF the decision
invoke the aid OF those who treat the
Constitution, not as "A healthy aid 10
growth, nut ms fetish to prevent
growth. and they arsaiI the advocates
OF wise ana cautious progress as being
opponents Of the Constitution. As
have said before. am IA strong beli.v-
er In efficient national action. where
such action offers the best hop. Of Sc
curing and protecting the Interest OF
ia" whole people as against the inter-
eat OF few, hut ! am rmphaticaIiy
IN favor OF state action. where state
action will best SER" this purpose. and
am no less emphatically In favor OF
cordial hnd hearty corporation be-
tween the nation and tho states where
Their duties nr. Identical or overlap
II there In one thing which II more
unwiso than another, IL In the creation
by legislative. by executive, or by
judicial action of neutral ground In
which neither the state nor the nation
has power. and which can serve as a
place of refuge for the lawloaH man,
aud especially Tor IN. lawless man OF
great wealth, who can hire the best
legal counsel TO advise him how 10
Keep hts abiding piAc. equally digtan's
from the uncertain frontiers OF boil
state and national power. IN
The Open Range. 4
AIN here NJ tho Invitation off
Colorado Livestock association, 4 thr
desire 10 express my npprcrihtihhn !