The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1910-09-06

on the part OF our opponents to cloud
the issue by raising the question CT
state as against federsl Jurisdiction.
We are ready to meet that issue II IT.
is forced upon US. But there IS no
hope for the plain people in such con-
aBcts or Jurisdictions. The essential
question Is not one of half-epiitting#
legal technicolities. Itais simply ttisS
VINO can. best regulate the special In
terests for the public good? Most Of
the predatory corporations are inter
state or have Interstate Affiliations
Therefore, they are largely out OF
reach OF effectiYe state control, and
fall of necessity within the federal
jurisdiction. One Of the prime objects
of those among them that are grasp
ing and greedy is to avoid any effec-
tive control either by state or nation;
and they advocate at this time state
control simply because they believe
it to be the least effective. In the
great light OF the people to-drive the
special interests from the dominion
OF our government, the nation isl
stronger and its Jurisdiction is more
effective than that OF any state. The
most efectlve weapon against these
great corporations, most of which are
financed and owned on the Atlantic
coast, Will be federal laws and the
federal executive. That is why so
strongly oppose the demand to turn
these matters over TO the states. It'll
is fundamentally a demand against
the interest of the plain people, of the
people of small means. against the In
.terests of our chHslrea and our chill
dren.s children; la 51ts ts primarily
in the interest Of the great corpora !
tons which desire to escape all gov
ernA1ent control.
The Conservation Fight.
one of the difficulties in putting in
to practice the conservation idea isl
that the field to which 1T applies isl
constantly growing in the public mind.
1t has been no slight task to bring
before 100. 900. 900 people a great con-
.ception like that 2of conservation, and
convince them that it is right. This
much we have acco nplished. But
there remains much to be cleared up,
and many misunderstanding to be
removed These MISUNDERSTANDING
are due in part at least to direct mis-
representation by the men to whose
interest it is that conservation should
ut prosper For example, we find it
constantly said by men who should
know better. that temporary with
drav,als. such as the Withdrawals OF
coal lands, will permanently check i
DEVELOPMENT Yet the fact Is that !
these Withdrawals have no purpose
except to prevent the coal lands from
passing into private ownership until
Congress can pass laws to open them
to development under conditions Just
alike to the Npubiic, and to the men
who will do the developing. If there
is delay. the responsibility for 1t rests
not on the men who made the with
drawals to protect the public interest
but on those who prevent Congress
from passing wise legislation. ana SO
putting an end to the need for with
drawals.
Abuses committed in the name of a
Just cause are familiar to an OF us.
Many unwlse things are done anG
many unwise measures are advocated
in the name of Conservation, either
through Ignorance, or by those whose
interest lies not in promoting the
movement. but in retardfnE it. For
example, to stop water power develop
ment by needless refusal to issue peri
.mlts for water power or private irri-
pation works on the public lands Inc /
NlCaDly lSduS many. IASA''
and believers in it's gen
eral principles. TO assume that Its
practical application Is necessarily |
check upon progress. Nothing could
be more mistaken. The Idea, widely
circulated of late thpt conservation
means locking up the natural re-
sources for the exclusive use of later
generations, is wholly mistaken. Our |
purpose is to make full use of these
resources, but to consider our sonst
and daughters as well as ourselves
Just as farmer uses his farm In
ways to preserve ats future useful
ness. Conservation Is the road to ma
ttonal efficiency, and 1t stands for a NJ ~
ple and wise Development,
but in spite of these dieiculties'
most of which are doubtless inevita-
BILE in any movement OF this. kind con
servatipn has made marvellous preE-
ress. have been astounded ana de-
llzhfed ~ my return from at'roaa ar
tho nraercss made whiis 1865 2 Way.
we l.e.zc 3c'alt{ 'llsEte p iiFTs
selves On ti,S marvellous prosressi ~
there is no reason for belleylng taas