New-York tribune., 1910-01-15
FOR CONSERVATION
Mr.. TAFT DEFINES HIS
POLICY.
To Guard Public Lands and
PO7Cer Sites-Reclamation
Bond Issue.
UFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington, Jan. 14.-Presdent Taft
sent to Congress to-day his special mes
sage relating 10 the conservation of the
countrys natural resources. 1t was read
in the House. and viii be read in the
Senate on Monday.
In less than eleven printed pages Mr.
Taft outlines comprehensive and prac-
teal methods for solving the most dis
cussed qlxerstto1. ~f1ow before the public
The friends of both Secretary Ballinger
and Clifford Pinchot paused long enough
in their dispute to-day to approve Mr.
Taft's recommendation and to say that
if Congress follows them everybody will
be satisfied.
The Presidents message is a concrete
and explicit statement, which. it is be-
lieved. will be accepted as a platform of
principles by all real friends of the con-
servation movement. 1t contains prac-
tical recommendations as to how con-
servation can be made effective. Pro
gressive and practical" was the comment
at the Capitol to-day following the read
ing of the message. The keynote of Mr.
an Introductory paragrap phi. in which he
said: The problem is how to save and
how to utilize; how to conserve and still
develop; for no sane person can contend
that it is for the common good that nat
ure's. blessings are only for unborn gen.
erations."
With this as his text tho President
takes up the problems involved in the
question of power sites, coal lands, recla-
nation and inland waterways. He makes
specific recommendations for legislation
TO solve each of these questions, and says
his views have been Incorporated in bills
prepared by the Secretary of the In
terror, which are at the disposition of
Congress In the closing paragraph Mr.
Taft refers to the proposed Balinger-
Pinchot investigation. and urges that the
reforms recommended be taken up and
disposed of promptly without awaiting
the inVestiga ton
The President calls ,.ttention to the
pressing need of legislation to govern
disposal of the public lands prevent mo-
nopoly of water power sites. and carry
the work of the reclamation service
and the Improvement of waterways He
earnestly recommends that the bills pre-
pared by Secretary Ballinger in respect
to land Withdrawals and conservation Of
the public domain be enacted, and advo-
c; tes a law permitting the issue OF $50
100000 bonds to aid reclamation prof.
ects. The immediate carrying forward
of the Ohio River and Upper Mississippi
River Improvement is urged
To the deeper waterways Representa-
tives in the House the Presidents mes
sage on conservation is entirely salts
factory. They view mis- recommends
tions with intense enthusiasm and prom
ise their loyal support in carrying them
out not only in regard to the subjects
which most interest them, but to the
entire conservation scheme
The conservative House leaders, how
ever, make no comment on the specific
recommendations other than to say that
the message is a strong document and
shows that President Taft is a sincere
advocate OF conservation. They say that
the question is one of intricate techni-
calities and that it requires careful de-
liberation. Speaker Cannon said that
the message was convincing" but he
made no assertion regarding the DISPOSE
tion OF the House TO carry out Mr. Taft's
programme AS a matter of fact, great
number of Representatives. have OF yet
read the message. The insurgent tangle
and the excitement attendant on il have
left little opportunity or inclination
for serious reading, and a prediction
as to the probable disposition of the
Presidents recommendations would be
hazardous.
The full text of President Tafts mes
sage viii be found on page T.