The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-10-14


+ Davis voted for in the last SEES +
+ sion, and that these men would +
+ vote for in the next session, +
+ should opportunity present it. +
= self. 1t is such measure I.
+ that I, if it is my fortune to +
+ become their colleague in the +
+ next congress, will vote for.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + I.
"One of the great questions of pub
lie interest is that of the conserva-
ton of our national resources. This
concerns the preservation of forests.
the reclamation of lands of the gov
eminent, and the proper treatment and
disposition of our government coal
lands, phosphate lands, oil and gas
lands, and of the lands known as
water power cities at the points on
streams, where the water power must
be converted in order to be useful.
Speaks for Conservation.
Sat first thought conservation seems
to mean to withhold from use. to
bottle up, to lock away, and hoard up
The true principle of conservation is
that of conserving our great natural
resources by such an economical use
as will render the greatest good to
the greatest number.
"This policy comparatively new like
all great policies of government has
become of vital Importance, and has
become prominent as vital measure
before the American people because
OF two conditions; first an unfortll-
/ 30 Il r.. L.
dition.
Twenty years ago great areas of
land, millions of acres, were covered
with great standing timber. In single
townships great trees covering the
slopes and hillsides, like a forest of
Lebanon would have furnished the
timber for the building of a modern
King SOlomon's Temple on a scale as
gigantic as twentieth century Ameri
can institutions. In the mountain re-
gions great streams were leaping over
rock bound precpices and surging
their way through rock bound canyons
and disipating pent up power, suf-
ficient to drive the wheels of New
England's Industrial iuggernaut.
During the stress of the most mar
velous business development that any
nation has even known, when men and
political parties We're busy with the
many problems of government, great
corporations of American business men.
reaching out with gaspng service were
depicting and denuding the forests
and bridling the water falls.
"A few years ago the people, who
were being filched and robbed of their
most sacred rights, were awakened to
! the abuses rampant throughout the
length and breadth of the land. They
began to discover gigantic monopolies
and trusts operating through secret
agreements for rebates. drawbacks and
grinding system which had grown
up in the operation of industrial en-
terprises. These were all by system
they were matters of computation, OF
| figures, of secret arrangements. They
were Star Chamber affairs, and the
discovery of them aroused the Ameri
can people to an appalling condition.
But after the first CONSERVATION
had worn away, and tho people had
gotten into the star chambers and
dragged out the skeletons and dangled
them before q frenzied public, they
sat up and commenced to look around
and they found that the system had
been cutting the trees, mining their
coal, and pipelining their oil, and COB
bling up their water power rights I'M
der their very noses. and before Their
very eyes. This was the unfortunate
condition.
Following it the fortunate condi.
ton: The interests play both ends
Like the foxy neighbour who comes over
TO make visit and be entertained in
the front parlor with the children and
the teddy bear. while his hired man
pliers few sticks from the wood.
pile in the back yard The interests
were setting up sensational DOGGY mer
Tor the people to knock down in the
lime light of the political stage, and
while the people were distracted they
were busy making hay and gathering
in the sheckles.
Raps the interests.
The interests were making the
money, and the people were making a
nVln9. AT this stage there came onto
the scene new leader The interests
recognized the attributes in this man
early, and the interests likewise began
laying their wires to entrap this Wig.
orous leader of the people. That he
was dangerous there was no question
He had roughed it not long before in
the bad lands, and there were western
ers, rough and ready, who were willing
TO swear by this champion of the
people, who had given the metropolis
stirring as police commissioner, and
mad dared to anger the spirit of the
Iammany Tiger This man was an
author, and flirted with men of letters
ne was soldier, and had dashed ur
San Juan Hill and won the admiration
and loyalty of the army and navy
he was a fighter, and had won his
spurs IN the political arena of the
great empire state. He was bossy
meddlesome, strenuous. and impulsive
ana ms heart was with the people.
His leadership would have been a
leadership in which the only compact
would have been between himself and
the people, and the interests woult
nave been stranger to the agree
ment: Therefore the necessity of 20
hticaiiy sidetracking this promised lead
Ell of the common people. and so a,
the Republican National convention il
the summer of 1900 the new leader
was nominated, and later election, as
Vlce-president of the United States
and thereby officially. noliticalIv. anf