The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1910-09-09
INDUSTRIAL development bf WEST
Judge Thomas Burke Says Conservation Is
Passing Through Period Common to
Every Political Reform.


speech deliver. in Colfax treating on
three important provisions OF the new
tariff law, a learned exposition OF ques-
ton on which every attempt ls being
made to befog and mislead the people
by those seeking Office through the tricks
OF the demagogue and the cheap politi-
clan. This week we lay before our read
ers what Judge Burke said on conserva-
ton, a question of supreme moment at
this time, upon which there may be an
honest difference of opinion. Judge
Burke never descends to the low depths
OF the political trickster. What he says
is clean cut, bearing judicial investiga-
ton and mature thought. This is what
he 9 aid on conservation:
All People Are Conservationists.
"The reformer renders civilization q
great service in blowing and narrowing
the ground for the growth OF reforms,
But the trouble with some of them is
that once started they keep plowing and
narrowing every month in the year,
never giving the crop a chance to grow.
We have an illustration of this in our
day in the movement that has come to
be known hy the term conservation.
As originally understood all sensible
people are conservationists. 1t is sim
ply the application of the old-fashioned
virtue of prudent saving to oblecis OF
national concern. Sensible, disin serested
people in every part OF the country are
in accord ia opposing the wastefui and
monopolistic use OF our natural re-
sources This ia nothing more than the
application OF the old-fashioned simple
virtues of prudent saving and intelligent
use to objects OF national concern.
"The movement that has come to be
known as the conservation of natural
resources is passing through stage
common to every political and social
reform in history. 1t iR in more danger
of shipwreck from its overzealous and
intolerant advocates than from it's
avowed opponents. The people of the
West believe in forest reservations based
upon common sense and scientific prin-
ciples. They believe in the necessity OF
protecting our forests against fire and
preventable waste, in extending forest
reservations over lands better adapted
to forest growth than to farming, in pre-
serving the forests on mountain sides
and steep hilleidee, and in the import
ance OF reforesting deforeeted areas IN
suited to agriculture. They believe that
in this era of land hunger every acre of
land suitable for farming should be open
to the bonafide settler who seeks to
make home upon it for himself and his
family, and that he should have the
right to take it up, not as tenant OF
the government, but in fee simple so that
he may own the house which shelters
him and his family and the land that
under his industry and self-denial sup
ports them. But they do not believe in
boarding the wilderness.
Eastern Idea of Conservation.
again and again we are sternly re-
minded by Eastern conservatiOnists that
the public domain does not belong to
the people of the West but is held in
trust by the government for all people
OF the country. This statement is usual
ly made as if it closed the door to all
further argument, as if it were finaiity.
While in certain sense it may be true it
is nevertheless very mislead ading. Unless
the government assumes the role OF a
universal landlord over future settlers
upon the public domain, collecting rents
like any other landlord and turning the
proceeds into the treasury OF the United
States for the benefit equally OF all the
people, it cannot be held to be more than
temporarily trustee OF those lands /;
that is, trustee until, under the law,
the lands are taken up by settlers. AS a
matter OF fact and common sense the
public lands have been held in trust by
the government for such American citi-
zens as had the courage and fortitude,
the enterprise, industry and self denial
to go into the woods or on the plains
and make their homes there, establish
schools and churches and build up towns
and cities and lay the foundations Of
these Western commemorative.
"For one am unalterably opposed to
the plan that would make the govern
ment a universal landlord over the re-
naming public lands and the settlers a
body of tenantry.
Industrial Development of the West.
"CoaI and water power are essential
factors in the industrial development OF
the West. For domestic use coal is
practically necessity OF life. The next
step in our Industrial progress on this
coast will be the establishment and build
ing up OF factories. Our diversified
natural resources and rapidly increasing
population will sustain large and