Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1911-10-03
THE WEST NEEDS CAPITAL
EXECUTIVE BELIEVES 1T CAN
NOT GET 1T WITHOUT LEAs-
ING GOVERNMENT DOMAIN
LARGE CROWDS GREET HIM
DELEGATIONS FROM ALL COLO
RADIO FLOCK TO CAPITAL
CITY TO MEET PRESIDENT

Denver, Oct. 3.-ln a speech to the
public lands convention here today
President Taft flatly disagreed with
the sentiment of that convention IN
regard to the leasing Of public lands
by the federal government expressed
in the resolution adopted yesterday.
The president declared that the west
needed capital to develop its public
lands and said that only through a
federal leasing system could such
capital be induced to come west.
President Taft arrived here at 9
O'Clock and was taken Immediately to
the Country club where he was the
guest of the Yale alumni at break
fast.
The program for the day included
a trip to Denver University and an
address to the students; a return 20
the city and conference with repub- I
lican state leaders; reception OF
delegation from Colorado Springs;
an elaborate luncheon at the home
of Crawford Hill; trip to Broadway
park and the presentation Of an au-
tomobile to Manager Hendricks OF
the Denver baseball club; visit to
the Denver Press club and tonight a
banouet rendered by the Chamber OF
Commerce.
The president spoke in the audi
torium, built to hold more than ll,OOo
people, and few seats were vacant.
In spite of his disagreement with the
views expressed by the convention
the president was well received
When he made some of his points
against the proposal of the conven-
ton that either public lands be dis
posed Of to individuals or else placed
under the care of the separate states,
the crowd applauded vigorously and
when he concluded the cheering was
long and loud.
At one point in his speech was dis.
cussed the public domain in general
terms.
"Who owns the public domain. Mr.
President?" shouted an old man sit
ting Just under the platform.
"The United States owns the pub
lie domain" said Mr.. Taft, showing
some heat, "and the United States is
the people of the United States"
The president said that he knew
that he was in a peculiar position
since the convention had already
reached its verdict with respect to
public lands.
'I know said Mr.. Taft, "how irri-
tating it is to have somebody else lay
down rules for your moral uplift but
you've got to stand great deal In
order to make progress. will end
as / began. l am not in agreement
with your verdict
President Taft upleaded for conces-
sions upon the part of the convention
and suggested that when men were
sent to Washington to argue with the
congressional committees about mat
ters affecting the public lands and
the policy of conservation, they
should not be tied with strings SO
they could have no leeway.
The president said that the discus
sion Of conservation, at least east OF
the Missouri river, had now reached
stage where points of difference
were looked at calmly and dispassion-
ately.
From the mistakes of the past, ne
said, the country will now learn how
to go about saving its natural re
sources in the best way possible and
with the best results. Mr.. Taft adj
mitted that in the old days public
lands had been grabbed in many In
stances by corporations and combi
nations and declared that to prevent
repetition Of such grabbing was the