Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-09
Associated Press1

mittee on resolutions or the National
Conservation congress was In tur-
moil, or verging on 1t, all day today.
Eventually the committee agreed to
recommend a night session of the con-
gress, and u platform demanding ma
tional control of natural resources.
The big fight of the committee meet
ing, which it was promised would be
carried to the floor of the convention
at the night session, concerned the
mention OF the name of Theodore
Roosevelt as the originator of the poll
icies recommended by the committee
and ignoring that of Mr.. Taft.
The sessions of the committee were
executive, but reports of the warfare
leaked out Violent speeches were
made, demanding the policies advocat-
ed by the congress not only were those
of Mr. Roosevelt, but those of Presi-
dent Taft, and that the name of the
latter should be specifically mentioned.
This occurred during the afternoon
when there were but eighteen members
of the committee present, under the
craftsmanship of former Governor Par
dee of California. The vote to include
the name of President Taft was lost,
to 10.
A new attempt was then made to
eliminate what was said to be an in
justice to the president and after three
ballots a motion to eliminate the na-ne
-of Roosevelt also carried.
ADOPT RESOLUTIONS
The resolutions as adopted by the
committee declare that the natural re-
sources of the country belong to the
people, approve the withdrawal of
public lands, favor cooperative action
on the parts of the states and the fed
eral government, looking to the pres
ervation and better utilization of the
soils, and approve the continuance of
the control of the national forests by
the federal government.
The fight for the insertion of the
name of President Taft started orig
inally at a meeting of state conserva-
tion commissioners. At this meeting
Henry Hardtner of Louisiana declared
the conservation principles favored by
the congress were no more those of
Roosevelt than of Taft. He asserted
with much heat that the congress was
much less q conservation congress than
a straight political meeting, the busi-
ness of which seemed to be to eXalt
Roosevelt at the expense of Taft.
The state commissioners thereupon
voted to demand that Taft's namel be
mentioned the same as that of his pre-
decessor. When this was not done 1t
was declared the fight would be car
ried to the congress.
Mr.. Pardee and Mr.. Short, represent
ing some California power companies,
mittee. Chairman Pardee surrendered
his chair and advancing to Judge Short
shook his finger at the latter and said:
you've had your say about state
control. Now let me say to you, Judge
Short, that If there is to be a discus
sion of this question from the Califor-
MIA standpoint there is one more man
here from the Golden state who will
be heard. 1 want to tell you that no
man, even though he be from Fresno,
and six feet tall, can get away with a
bluff and I am going to call you. Some
people who live in California have cried
for state rights dishonesty and don't
mean that for any gentleman in this
room. Some have been only fooled,
but want to say to you that when
YOU give into the power of state gov
ernments the right to dispose of its re-
sources as ours have been in Califor-
MIA, you give into the hands of preda-
tory wealth and great corporations the
natural resources OF this country. You
see the result of that in California"
TALK ABOUT CALIFORNIA
the former governor raised his hands
high in the air and shouted:
"There is no man in this country who
has greater respect for constitutional
rights than I. would not take from
Judge Shorts companies the powers
they have got.
"iThey're yours" he said, turning to
the California attorney, they're yours
because you've got them, but by the
help of God you shall have no more
than you've got; you shall not saddle
on my children and my childrens chill
dren a debt which they shall pay all
their lives. Thus far shalt thou go,
and no farther
"When it comes down to the question
of whther the public service corpora
tions shall use us-when 1t comes down
to the question of whether Judge
Shorts companies shall use us, by the
eternal, you'll find me fighting now
and fighting when the last ditch is
reached"
Delegate Kelsey interrupted him to
ask a question relative to constitu-
tional rights. When he had finished,
Mr.. Pardee said: 'It is i'll grace for
you from Wyoming to come here and
demand the property that is ours-de-
mand the natural resources that be-
long to the people, and I'll tell you
that you'll never get them until we
give them to you. In California Judge
Shorts companies have two bills
pending asking the federal govern
ment to turn over to them the power
sites in our forest reserves, and they
are fighting with all their might and
main to get these bills through. Talk
about public service corporations and
public interests until the cows come
home, but when it comes down to the
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