The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-09-30
WASHINGTON EXECUTIVE WOULD
CALL ANOTHER coNsERvA-
TON CONVENTION.
Holds That st. Paul Meeting Was Out
rageous and Wants Expression Given
to Real Sentiment Of Pacific Coast
States on Conservation Matters
Place and Date Not Indicated.


governors of the Pacific Coast and
mountain states letters asking their
views on the advisability of holding
another conservation congress, at
which there might be a fuller and
freer discussion of conservation as
viewed in the West than there was, ac-
cording to Hay, at the recent st. Paul
meeting.
No date or meeting place has been
suggested by the governor, but Ia
coma or Seattle may be named. The
letter follows:
MY Dear Governor:
II desire to call your attention to the
treatment accorded the representatives
appointed by the governors of the Pa
cific Coast and Rocky Mountain states
to the so-called conservation congress
by the officers and those in charge of
the management of that congress. I
deem it of sufficient Importance to
urge upon you the advisability of
|arousing the people of the states where
over SO per cent of the national re-
sources are located to the fact that
there is clique in this nation COM
posed of men who are trying to force
the national government to usurp the
prerogatives of the people of the west
ern states and divert the revenue from
the natural resources from the state
treasures to the federal treasury.
Denied Place on Program.
eff l remember correctly no repre-
sentative appointed by the governors
of North Dakota, South Dakota, Mon
tana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico,
Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Califor-
MIA, Oregon, Alaska or Washington
was given place on the program to ex-
plain our position upon the admins
[tering of our natural resources and
get our views properly before the peo-
pie of the nation. That every governor
and the people of these Western states
and territories favor conservation is
an assertion not open to debate Every
sane person favors conserving and not
wasting not only our great natural re-
sources, but everything good given us
by an all wise Creator.
"This conservation congress was
supposed to have been called for the
discussion of questions pertaining to
the taking care of and protecting our
resources, congress where all who
desired might present their views and
allow the people Of the country to
judge and select some plan which to
them might seem just and right.
But in the eyes of those managing
the congress, anyone who did not SUBJ
scribe to their peculiar views was inn
mediately set down as traitor or as
there in the interest of some personal
or private scheme. A free discussion
of conservation was not tolerated and
never in my experience have l known
an organization to be run in so high
handed, insulting and outrageous a
manner as was this congress.
Treated With Contempt
"The delegates who attended the
congress at the request of the govern
ors of the Western states spent thou
sands of dollars of their own money
and when they arrived in ST. Paul were
insulted from the platform, denied an
opportunity to express their views and
for all practical purposes the govern
ors might as well have sent to st. Paul
as many rag dolls.
II have not sufficient command of
language to express to you the hold
this conservation movement has upon
the people of the East, who seemingly
believe that every man in the East has
personal interest in our resources
and that the profit therefrow should
flow into their pockets or into the fed
eral treasury and not to the states
wherein these resources are located.
"They seem to have lost all sense
of the rights of the people of the
Western states and argue that those
states are not competent to legislate
to protect themselves. Certain East
! ern publications are devoting a large
share of their space to urging their
people to support no one for Congress
who does not believe in robbing the
West of its heritage. Unless we take
early steps to prevent it, we are going
to see legislation passed very adverse
to our future welfare and prosperity.
Favors Calling Meeting.
at a meeting of many Of the dele
gates from the Western states in st.
Paul a resolution was introduced re-
questing the governors Of the Western
states to call a conservation congress
| to include those states where the large
reserves are located so that their side
| of the question might properly be
placed before the people of the nation.
Personally, favor this plan, but do
not see how this congress can be held
before some time next spring.
1.-THE time is too short to arouse pub
lie sentiment and get action before
lsome time in the winter when the Leg
islatures Of all the Western states VIII
Ibe In session and the governors VIII
| be too busy to give the matter much
Iattention until after the Legislatures
adjourn. At the conference Of govern
Tors to be held in Lexington "a Novem-
Der next, this question can be az