The Holly chieftain., 1910-09-09

aetioa and good Vim ths task of saving
the resources for the people is full Of
hops for US all.
state and Federal Control.
But while We of the United States are
anxious. a. believe we are able. to be
Of assistance to others. there are prob
lens OF our own which ws must not ovse-
look. One Of the most important con-
servatton questions Of the moment relates
to the control Of water power monopoly
In the public interest Thsre is apparent
dency on the part Of our opponents to
cloud the issue by raising the question of
state n against federal 1ssrisdction. We
are ready to meet that Issue II 1t is forced
upon US. But there u no hope for the
plain people in such conf1cts of jurisdic-
Of hair-splitting legal technicalities. 1t IL
simply this: Who can best regulate the
special interests for the public good?
Most Of the predatory corporations are
interstate or have interstate affiliations.
Ihsrefors they are largely out of reach Of
effective state control. and fall of neces-
slty within the federal jurisdiction. One
OF the prime objects Of those among them
that are grasping and greedy is to avoid
any effective 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
night Of the people to drive the special
interests from the domination of our gov
ernment. the nation 10 stronger and Its
jurisdiction is 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, will be federal laws and tho
ttrrA k,~t n Nv =
strongly oppose the demand to turn these
matters over to the states. 1t is funda-
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 It
corporations which desire to escape all
government control.
The Conservation Fight.
On of the difficulties in putting into
practise the conservation idea is that the
field to which 1t applies is constantly
growing in the public mind. It has been
no slight task to bring before 10000 peo-
pie a great conception like that of con-
servation. and convince them that It IL
right. This much we have accom-
plished. But there remains much to be
cleared UP. and many misunderstandings
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 not
prosper. For example. We find it con-
stantly 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
Just alike to the public and to the men
who will do the DEVELOPING.
Abuses committed in the name of Just
cause are familiar to all OF us. Many
unwise things are done and many unwise
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 retardinK 1t.
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 and
believers in its general principles. to as
sumo that its practical application II nec-
essarily 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 tho
exclusive use Of future generations, 10
wholly mistaken. Our purpose IL to make
full use of these resources. but to consid-
er our sons and daughters as well as our
selves: Just as q farmer uses his farm
in ways to preserve its future usefulness
But in spite Of these dimculties. NEST
Of which are doubtless inevitable in any
movement of this kind. conservation has
made marvellous progress. have been
astounded and 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 fight Is won. In the beginning tho
special interests, who are our chief oppo-
nents in the conservation fight, paid little
heed to the movement because they nei-
ther understood It. nor saw that II 1t won
they must lose But with the progrsVs Of
conservation in the minds Of our people
the fight IL getting sharper. The nearer
we approach to victory. the bitterer the
opposition that we must meet. and the
greater the need for caution and watch
fulness Open opposition We can over
come, but warn you especially against
the men who come to congresses such as
this, ostensibly as disinterested citizens,
but actually as the paid agents Of the
special interests.
This congress is direct apeal to tho
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 1t repre-
sents.
It is our duty and our desire to mako
this land Of ours a better home for the
race, but our duty does not stop there.
We must also work for better nation to
live in this better land. The development