The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-23
CONSERVING STATES, RIGHTS.

CONSERVING STATES RIGHTS.
One of the saving truths OF govern
ment is that reaction always follows
: a radical policy. When one tendenc,
of national life goes to an extreme,
counter-tendenuy is always felt; wher
one party or one man is given too much
. power, power is sooner or later taker
/. from that party or that man. The
4 pendulum of government is always
i swinging.
/ During recent years there has been
very decided movement towards cen
tralization, a movement which has been
felt in every sphere of national life but
j a movement which, during the last year,
has centred on the policy of conserva-
ton. We have been told that the Fed
eral Government alone is competent to
deal with water-power thieves. that
the States are impotent and have no
rights in the premises; that we must
trust the strong arm of the Federal
Government to conserve the natural
resources of our country; that we are
to give to the government legally or
illegally, power to do what the states
will not do or cannot do.
The beginnings of very healthy re-
action against this Capitalization on all
conservation work are beginning 20 be
felt. and number OF very strong and
very sensible men are arguing that
while we are conserving forests and
trees and coal mines, we should also
conserve States rights and the funda-
mental principles of the Government
and the spirit of the Constitution.
In the recent debates on the Federal
conservation bill, Senator Borah, of
Idaho. and Senator Burkett, of Ne
braska, both warned the Senate that
1t was time to remember that the
States had right to conserve or 10 use.
and that tne Federal Government must
regard the rights OF the States. sena-
tor Borsh's remarks. as quoted IN FL
nanc!ai America, were particularly good
and his arguments were irrefutahle
! He saw no reason why the forward
development of the States should be
checked because the Administration
was welded 10 particular policy OF
: conservation, and he did not see under
: what law or by what section of tn,
9 Constitution the Federal Government
Y could say to a State that II could no
c use the water-power which had bee,
given il by the God of Nature. The
, natural resources, he said, might be-
; long to all the people of the United
States in theory, but in practice they
could only belong to those citizens who
came into the State where they were
located TO use them, and the Federal
IGoyernment had no right to deny to a
State the right to develop these re-
sources. 1t was as unlawful for the
4 Federal Government 10 prohibit any
other Legitimate business as it was for
the Government to say that State
! should not lease its water power sites
/ and develop its resources
4 or course, the sites about which tho
Government is concerned are situated
on public reservations. and are not, in
a strict sense, part OF the State tc
which they belong; yet it is unquestion-
ably true that when the Federal Gov
!, eminent, in carrying out its policy OF
conservation, restricts the use of water
on the Government reservation, il af-
fects th-.ewater supply on land which
does not belong 10 the Government
j 1t is also true that the policy of ma.
tional conservation, however useful il
may BE- IS usurpation of power OF
the part of the Federal Government,
, and further addition TO that long line
of powers which the Government ha
assumed because it had the strength t,
! do so. Against this usurpation Their
viii certainly come reaction. and i
i the present policy OF conservation sui
9 fer, The principles of our Government a
i least will be strengthened.
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