The new era., 1910-09-08
the resources for the people II fun Of
hope for us all

the resources for the people Il fun Of
hope for us al.
State and Federal Control.
But while we of the United stahss are
anxious. as believe we are able. to b.
lens of our own which we must not over
look. One of the most important 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 a 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 II 1t Is forced
upon us But there is no hope for the
plain people in such conflicts of jurisdic-
tion The essential question Is not one
Of hair-splitting legal technicalities. 1t IL
simply this: Who can best regulate the
| special interests for the public good!
Most of the predatory corporations are
interstate or have interstate affiliations.
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
1t to be the least effective. In the great
| fight of the people to drive the special
interests from the domination of our gov
ernment the nation is stronger and Its
| Jurisdiction is more effective than that OF
any state. The most effective weapon
against these great corporations. most of
| which are financed and owned on the At
lantic coast, will be federal laws and the
| federal executive. That Is why I 20
strongly oppose the demand to turn these
matters over to the states. 1t Is funda-
| mentally a demand against tho interest
| of the plain people. OF the people Of small
means. against the interest of our chill
| dren and our children's children: and It
| Is primarily in the interest of the great
| corporations which desire to escape AL
| government control.
The Conservation Flight.
On of the difficulties in putting into
| practise the conservation idea Is that the
| field to which 1t applies IL constantly
| growing in the public mind. 1t has been
| no slight task to bring before 100000 peo-
pile great conception like that of osr-
| servation. and convince them that it"''
| right This much we have accom-
plished. But there remains much to oe
| cleared up, and many misunderstandingn
| to be removed These Observation-Disclosures
| are due in part at least to direct mis-
| representation by the men to whose
| interest 1t Is that conservation should not
prosper. For example we fnd II 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 have
| no purpose except to prevent the coal
lands from passing into private owner
| ship until congress can pass laws to open
them to development under conditions
| 1ust alike to the public and tn the men
| who will do the developing. II there IL
| delay, the responsibility for It 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 10 inc
| need for Withdrawals. t- EH
| Abuses committed in the name Of fust
| cause are familiar to all of US. Many
| unw1se things are done and many unwtse
measures are advocated in the name OF
| conservation. either through ignorance.
or nv those whose interest lies not IN pro
| noting the movement. but in retardfnH II.
| For example. to stop water power devei-
| opment by needless refusal to issue per
| mits for water power or private irrigation
| works on the pub1ic lands inevitably leads
| many men. friendly to conservation ana
| believers in its general principles. to as
sumo that its practical application is nee
| essarily a check upon progress. Nothing
| could be more mistaken. The idea. widely
| circulated of late. that conservation means
| locting up Of the natural resources for tne
exclusive use Of future generations. 10
| full use Of these resources, but to consid-
| or our sons and daughters as well as our
| selves: Just q farmer uses his farm
| in WAYS to preserve Its future usefulness.
Conservation is the road to national ef-
| rcie,cy. and II stands for ample and wise
Development. . t -...
But in spite Of these difficulties. most
of which are doubtless inevitable in any
movement Of this kind. conservation has
made marvellous progress. 1 have been
astounded and delighted on my return
from abroad at the progress made while
was away. We have a right to congratu-
| late ourselves on this marvellous progress:
hut there Is no reason for believing that
tire rrht ia won. In the beginning the
spec,al interests. who are our chief oppo-
,e-+s in the conserv"t'o, heht. paid little
hned to the movement. because they nell
ther understood ". nor saw that II 1t won
thev must lose But with the progress OF
| conservation in the minds of our people
the fight is getting sharper. The nearer
we errroach to victory. the hitterer tho
orposition that we must meet. and tho
~-ooter the need for caution and watch
fu,,ess Omen opposition can over
coroe. but I warn you especially against
tho mon who come to congresses such az
th's oste,s'bly as dsinterested citizens.
but actually as the paid agents of the
I e,oc'e, interests. I heartily approve the
attitude Of env corporation. interested in
t-e @e''hnrations NJ a meeting such As
ths. which comes h'ther to advocate. BY
| tts op~nlv accredited agents. views which
It believes the meeting should have In
MIND But condemn with equal readi-
re-s the appearance of cornorate agent
before pnv convention who does not de-
clo-e himself frankly AS such.
Tb'e congress is direct apeal to the
patriotism of our whole people. The
-,ticn wisely looks to such gatherings
for counsel and leadership. Let thai
leadership be sound. definite. practical
and on the side of all the people. II
would he NJ small misfortune n meeting
such as this should ever fall into the
bands OF the open enemies or false friends
Of the great movement which 1t repre-
seots
IT is our duty and our desire to make
this land of ours better home for tho
r,ce. hut our duty does not stop there.
We must also work for better nation to
live in this better land. The development
md conservation of our national charac-
ocfer and our free institutions must 20