Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-07
GARFIELD TALKS
ON CONSERVATION
Former Secretary Declares There
Is No Conflict Between
States and Nation
PARDEE DELIVERS ADDRESS
W. E. Smythe of San Diego Urges
Government Take Control
of Power Sites
PARDEE DELIVERS ADDRESS
Associated Press1

ST. PAUL, Mimi, Sept. eff Pres
ident Taft monoplized the attention
of the National Conservation congress
yesterday, he did no more than Theo-
dore Roosevelt did today.
The auditorium was filled to hear
the former president drive home the
policy for the conservation of natural
resources.
Governor Blanchard of Louisiana,
former Governor Pardee of Califor-
mia and James r. Garfield, former Sec
retary of the interior, delivered ad-
dresses favoring national control.
Mr.. Garfield was originally sched-
uled to talk Thursday, but John r.
Barrett, who was chairman of the al
ternoon session, called upon him to-
day. Mr.. Garfield said in part:
"There are two reasons why the fed
eral government is directly and deeply
| concerned in the practical questions
of conservation. First, it is the most
| extensive land holder, and second 1t
has great duties to perform in the IN
terests of all the people
Under our former system of dis
position of public lands by both ma
tion and state we have permitted indl-
viduals and corporations to acquire
great portions of our natural resources.
| We have given away special privileges
of great value and made grants of
tremendous industrial power. The use
of these special privileges anG the eX-
ercise of these powers have given rise
! to serious political and Industrial ques-
tions which are not parts of the con-
| servation problem.
Zone of the great objects for which
powers granted to the nation are to be
exercised is to promote the general well
fare, and it is clear there is ample
power in the federal government to
| fully protect the peoples interest ana
promote the general welfare in deal
| Ing with the public domain.
TECHNICAL COMPLIANCE
1.-THE executive cannot dispose of any
property without authority from con-
gress, but it is his duty to prevent
public property from being taken or
used illegally. Some of the greatest
| land frauds have been perpetrated
under the guise of technical compliance
with q law which did not apply to the
character of the land obtained.
For example, the timber and coal
| lands have been taken under the nome
stead act; water power reservoir sites
taken as mineral entries Such frauds
as these can only be prevented by Wig
orous executive action and neVer-ceas-
! ing vigilance of executive officers.
"Exactly as the cry of executive
usurpation once was raised so now the
ghost of states rights is dragged out
| to frighten the public. There is no
real conflict between nation and states
in dealing with the public lands and
| the use of natural resources. Wherever
the jurisdictions overlap, neither should
| withdraw, but by cooperation they
! should provide for such regulation as
will prevent private and special in
terests from escaping effective public
regulation and supervision.
"For example, it would be a fragrant
violation of duty if the nation gave
away to the states its power to safe
guard the public interests against the
aggression of the special interests that
are seeking to monopolize the water
! powers of the country.
what I have said about lands used
! for water development applies as
we'll to the coal, phosphates and
timber"
Herbert Knox Smith, United States