The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-08-13
MORE HOMES AND
LESS ACADEMIC
CONSERVATION
This Is the Plan Outlined by
Secretary Ballinger in His
Speech

! SPSOSAA
PUBLIC DOMAIN MUST Be
ADMINISTERED UNDER THE Law
Critics of Present Administration Con.
tend That the Individual States Are
Too Corrupt to Administer the Pub.
lie Domain II Intrusted to Them.
| Portland, Ore, Aug. 13.-Secretary
of the Interior Richard A. Ballingeer,
who was the guest of honor yesteer-
day of MONDAY luncheon given by
the Commercial club, addressed his
hosts on the subject of conservation.
What is there about it that calls
for excitement, bitterness of spirit or
contention" said Secretary BRllin-
ger. Nothing The explanation of
popular excitement is in the fact that
many people have been led to believe
that conservation holds the secret Of
our national we'll being. The dema-
gceue. the fanatic, the sentimontalist.
the faddist, are crusading under the
banner of conservation mainly be-
cause it is popular and holds the at
tention of the hour.
! Accomplished Nothing.
"Beyond the mattcer OF agitation
what has the doctrinaiTe accomplish
ed. unless it be the hysteria of con-
servation? Has he suggested any
practical method by way Of legisla-
tion for disposing of the remainder
of the public lands so as to give the
nnhlic better safeguards against eX-
listing abuses? The fact is that all
the substantial progress made In this
:direction has been enacted by the
last congress as the result OF rec
concentrations initiated by the admin
iistration."
Fayors Control bv States.
J Secretary Ballinger said that eX-
itrene conservation theories in their
last analysis mean government own
ership and operation. He said they
lproceed on the theory that the states
|are not to be trusted to take care OF
their natural resources. and said that
;because some Of the states have been
wasteful or corrupt it does not FOL
low that no state can safely manage
its own affairs. in this particular re-
spect. He said that in view OF the
fact that the states control and own
lwater for DEVELOPMENT. 1t would seem
that the most feasible and practical
method would he to transfer these
sites to the states under proper linz
/ itations to prevent injuriors' mon
opoly. The contention that the in
terror department may. under any
existing laws, exact charge from
the public for the use Of these power
sites. is utterly without foundation,
he declared.
Alaska Coal Lands Sale.
Taking up the subject of Alaska
coal lands, he called attention to the
fact that with twelve hundred square
miles of known coal area. contain
ing an estimated amount Of fifteen
billion tons, some of the very best
quality. Alaska buys most of her
Goa, from British Columbia. and the
United States navy on the Pacific OBJ
t,ins it's coal from the Pocahontas
se]ds of West Virginia. at cost to
the government of 81 a ton, OF which
s5 a ton is represented by the freight
charges IL the mines Of Alaska were
in operation coal could be laid down
at Portland at from SO to 81 ton.
He said Alaska never has had ada
ouate laws to cover the disposition
of her public lands. To make them
adeouate, however. is one of the
burdens of this administration.
GnDoscs Withholding Some Lands.
Secretary Ballinger declared he is
opposed to Withholding any lands In
the public domain that are capable
of giving strength and permanent
prosperity to the country In agrlcui-
fure commerce or industry.
'.The department of the interior is
one of the executive branches OF the
government instituted by law. and,
therefore. necessarily administered
under the law" said Mr.. Ballinger.
! 'The public domain was left by the
/ constitution to the disposition of con-
gress and congress has seen fit to au-
/ thorize the interior department, un-
der legislative limitations. to dispose
of the public domain. Therefore any
disnosition sought to be made by me
can be made only in view of the law
and within the law.
The Ignorant or Malicious Criticisms.
! "It has become practice with many
people, either through ignorance OF
| these conditions or disposition to
ignore them, to charge the interior
department with the responsibility OF
the disposition of the public domain.
regardless of its duty to obey and
keep within the statutes OF congress
"Standing securely upon my con.
sc,ous rectitude in the Endorsement of
the laws and regulations as laid down
by congress in these particulars, the
criticism of the ignorant or the ma
licious of the conduct of the interior
department are impotent and will
fail of interrupti4g the regular and
orderly course of conduct laid down
by the law for the administration OF
the public domain"
ANTI-BABAL