Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-09-07
the resources fer the peopi. Is fun Of
hope for us all
State and Federal Control.

anxious, as 1 believe We are abr to Do
OF assistance 10 others. there are prob
lens or our own which we must not over
look. One OF the most important con-
servation questions ef the moment relates
tn the eontro, OF water power monopoly
IN the public interest There Is apparent
to the judcious observer q distinct ten
dency on the part OF our opponents 10
cloud the issue by raising the question OF
state as against federal jurisdiction We
are ready to meet that issue n il is forced
upon US But there is no hope for the
plain people in such conflicts OF guris6ic-
ticu. The essential question is not one
OF hair-spiittinE legal technicalities. II is
simply this. Who can best regulate the
special interests for the public goode
Most Of the predatory corporations are
interstate or have interstate affiliations.
Therefore they are largely ont Of reach Of
effective state control. and fall Of neees-
sitv within the federal jurisdiction. one
Of the prime objects of these among them
that are srasping and greedy is to avoid
any effective control either by state or
nation: and they advocate at this time
state control Simply because thew believe
II to he the least effective. In the great
7Sht Of the people to drive the special
interests from the domination Of our gov
eminent. the nation is stronger and its
Jurisdiction is more effective than that Of
anv state The most effective weapon
which are financed and owned on the At
1aofic coast win be federal laws and tho
federal executive THAT Is whv I so
STRONGLY OPPOSE the demand to turn these
matters over 10 the states II is funda-
mentally a demand AGAINST the interest
Of the plain people. o. the people Of small
rreans against 80 interest Of our chill
Sreu end our children's children: and Il
Is primarily in the interest Of the greet
corporations which desire to escape all
government control.
The Conservation Fight.
on n The difficulties in puttir~ into
nrqctise the conservation idea is that ne
nel1 n which st applies Is ronsta nflv
growirg in 'he public mind Il hos been
M slight tas, 10 bring before t0o0o pen-
ple treat conception like that of con-
snrvatior and convince them that II IL
r'~hf isis much have accom-
pliShed But there remains much to he
cleared up. ard MANY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
10 be removed These Observation-Disclosures
arc due IN part at least to direct mis-
REPRESENTATION by the men TO whose
interest II 's that conservation should not
prnsper. For EXAMPLE we find IT con-
stantly said by men who should know
better chat tarnporary wthdraw a's.
such as the Withdrawals of coal lands.
v-ill nern,anentlv ~hack DEVELOPMENT. Yet
the fact IL that these Withdrawals have
NJ nurnnse evcent tn prev@nt the coal
lands from passing into private owner
shin until "or~-ess can pass laws 70 omen
them tn DEVELOPMENT under conditions
tust alto 10 the puhltc and II the mon
who VIII 10 the developing. If there IL
Splav tho reeuons'hilitv for " rests. not
On the r,ar who made the Withdrawals TO
nrotect the pubUc interest but on those
who prevent congress from passing wise
sIation, pnS So nutting end 20 the
need for Withdrawals
Abuses committed IN TIE name Of . lust
cau~a ore familiar to ell % Us. MANY
unvvise things are done and many u1wiss
measures are advocated IN the name Of
conservation. either through ignorance,
by thoee WHOSE interest lies not in pro-
roofing the movement but in retare'rg y.
For exa~'ple n stop water power devel-
opment by needless refusal to issue per-
n7its FOR water power or private irrigation
wcr'-s on the nuhrc lands inevitably leads
rnenv men. friendly TO conservation and
believers in It's general principles, TO as
sumo that its practical application Is nee
essarilv n check uuon PROGRESS. Nothing
could be more mistaken. The idea, widely
circulated Of late, that conservation means
tocting up Of the natural resources for tbs
exclusive use Of future generations. -
wholly mistaken. Our purpose is tn maFe
f1U use Of these resources. hut 10 consid-
or our sons and daughters as well as our
selves: inst as a farmer uses his farm
in wavs to preserve its future usefulness.
Conservation Is the road to national Of
ecisrrv. and It stands for ample and wise
DEVELOPMENT.
But I'm spite Of these difficulties. most
of which are doubtless inevitable In any
movement ~ this bind. conservation has
made marvellous progress I have haen
astounded and delighted on nv return
from abroad at the progress made while
was awav We have a right 20 'ngratu-
late ourselves on this merveious progress;
hut there Is no reason for believing that
the Hnht IS won. l. the beginning the
.pec,ai interests. who are our chief onpo-
nents IN the conservation h~ht. paid little
hood 10 the movement. because thew nei-
tter understood q nor ca y that " ~ won
they must lose Rut With the progress nj
conservation IN the r~'nas of our people
the aoht is getting sharper The nearer
we anproach 70 victory tie bitterer the
opposition that we must meet. and the
greater the need for caution and watrh-
fnlness Omen opposition ran over
come but warn you especially asainst
tho men who come ~ congresses s'rh as
THE ossereiblv as disiuterested c't ans.
but actually as the paid agents ~ the
snec'a' interests. I heartily approve tho
etfit,,aa ~ anv CORPORATION. Interested IN
.+e deliberations ~ a npaeting such
chs witch comes h'ther 70 advocate hv
SIS onenIv accredited apen's viewa which
II believes the meeting should have -
mind But I condemn with equal rea7i-
noes the appearance ~ a corporate agert
before any convention who docs not de-
clare himself frankly AZ such
Thts congress * a direct aneai TO the
patriotism ~ our whole people. The
NATION wfsofv loaks - such gatherings
FOR counsel and leadership. let hat
leadership he SOUND definite. practical.
and on the side ~ all the Deople II
void be m small misfortune ~ a meeting
such az Tits should ever faU into the
bands of the omen enemies or fajse friends
~ the great movement which II repre-
sents
II IS our sutv and our Hesir. to rneke
this lend Of ours a hotter horne for tho
rare. but our duty does not stop there.
We must also work for better nation tn
1--we in this better land The DEVELOPMENT
and conservation Of orr national cfarac-
scter ana DIR free Institutions must 70
hand iu hand with the development and
conservation Of our natural resources.
witch the GOVERNORS conference so wen
called the foundations Of our prosperity
Whatever PROGRESS we NAV make as a
nation. whatever wealth we may accu-
rrul+te however far we NAV push me-
cha nical DEVELOPMENT end production We
shall never reach a point where our well
fa-a can dene1d IN the last ANALYSIS IN
ANYTHING blf honesty. o~uragn i0vaifv
and good citizenship The horneiv viz
tues are the lasting virtues and the road
which loads n them IS The road 10 gem
uira and lasting success
What this country needs fs what every
free country must pet before Il "a the
great goal toward which r. worl,s-sn
equal aportunitv for life liberty and the
pursuit OF happiness FER everv one % its
citizens To achieve this end Ne vrssrf