The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-09-09

the resources Tor the peopSs = fun -
hops for ~ an.
stats and Federal Control.
But while ~ Of the United States aso
anxious. - ! believe We are able, TO b
OF assistance 70 others. there AZ prob
lens OF our own which we must not over
look. One Of the most important con.
eervat1on questions Of the moment relates
to the control Of water power monopoly
IN the pubic interest. There II apparent
% the Judicsous observer distinct ten
oency on the part of our oppouonts to
cloud the Issue by raising the question OF
state ~ against federal Jurisdiction. We
are ready to meet that issue II II 10 forced
upon u. But there Is no hope for the
plain people IN such conflicts OF Jufisdic-
ton. The essential question II not one
Of hair-splittins legal technicalities. It II
simply this: Who can best regulate the
special interests for the public goodf
sfost OF the predatory corporations are
Interstate or have Interstate Affiliations
Therefore they are largely out Of reach Of
effective state control. and fall OF neces-
eity within the federal Jurisdiction. One
Of the prime objects OF those among them
that are graspin9 and greedy II to avoid
any effective control either by state or
nation: and they advocate at this time
state control simply because they believe
Il to be the least effective. In the great
night OF the people TO drive the special
interests from the domination Of our gov
eminent. the nation is stronger and Its
Jurisdiction ID 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. viii be federal laws and the
federal executive. That IL why 20
strongly oppose the demand to turn these
A. totz d
mentally a demand against the interest
OF the plain people. of the people Of small
means. against the interest Of our chill
dren and our children's children: and IL
Is primarily In the interest of the great
corporations which desire to escape all
government control.
Tho Conservation Flight.
On Of the difacultfes in putting ints
practise the conservation idea is that the
field to which II applies Is constantly
growing IN the public mind. II has been
no slight task to bring before 10000 peo-
pie a great conception like that OF con-
servation. and convince them that II fs
right. This much we have accom-
plished. But there remains much to DO
cleared up, and many misunderstanding
to be removed. These Observation-Disclosures
are due in part at least to direct mis-
representation by the men to whose
prosper. For example. We ind II con-
stantiy 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
,ust alike to the public and to the men
who will do the developing. II there 10
DELAY. the responsibility for II 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 to the
need for Withdrawals.
Abuses committed in the name OF Just
cause are familiar to all of IN. Many
unwise things are done and many unwiss
measures are advocated In the name OF
conservation, either through ignorance,
or by those whose interest lies not In pro.
noting the movement. but In retarding II.
For example, to stop water power devel.
opment by needless refusal to issue per-
mits for water power or private irrigation
works on the public lands inevitably leads
many men. friendly TO conservation ana
believers in Its general principles. to as
sumo that its practical application Is nee
essnrily a check upon progress. Nothing
could be more mistaken. The idea. widely
circulated of late, that conservation means
locking up Of the natural resources for the
exclusive use of future generations. II
wholly mistaken. Our purpose Is to make
full use OF these resources. but To consid-
er our sons and daughters a. well as our
| selves: lust rs a farmer uses his farm
| In ways to preserve It's future usefulness.
Conservation Il the road to national eff
rciency. and II stands for ample and wise
development.
But in spite Of these dificulties. most
Of which are doubtless inevitable In any
| movement of this kind. conservation has
made marvellous progress. have been
| astounded ana delighted on my return
from abroad at the progress made while
was away, We have q right to congratu-
late ourselves on this marvellous progress;
but there Is no reason for believing that
| the firht Is won. In the beginning the
| .pcctal interests. who are our chief oppo-
| nents In the conservation nsht. paid little
heed to the movement. because they mel
ther understood II. nor saw that X II won
they must lose. But with the progress OF
| conservation In the minds OF our people
the night Is getting sharper. The nearer
we approach TO victory. the bitteref the
opposition that we must meet. and ths
greater the need for caution and watch.
fuiness. Open opposition We can over.
| come but I warn you especially against
| the men who come to congresses such a.
this. ostensibly a. disinterested citizens.
| but actually as the paid agents OF shs
special interests. I heartily approve the
attitude OF any corporation. interested In
the deliberations Of q meeting such A.
this. which comes hither to advocate. BY
Its openly accredited agents. views which
II believes the meeting should have In
mind But condemn with equal readi-
ness the appearances OF corporate agent
before any convention who does not dc.
clare himself frankly as such.
This congress Is a direct appeal to the
patriotism Of our whole people. The
nation wisely looks to such gatherings
for counsel and leadership. Let that
leadership be sound. definite. practical.
and on the side of all the people. II
would be no small misfortune II a meeting
such as this should ever fall into the
hands OF the open enemies or false friends
Of the great movement which It repre-
sents.
II IL our duty and our desire to mako
| this land Of ours . better home for the
| race. but our duty does not stop there.
We must also work for a better nation to
live In this better land The development
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