Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-04
HE SAYS WEST NEEDS CAPITAL
Says it Can Only Be Secured by
Offering inducements.
HE PLEADS FOR CONCESSIONS
Asks Convention Not to Hamper Del.
egstes with Many Instructions,
TRAIN DELAYED BY wAsHoUT
Executive Party IL Two Hours Late
in Reaching DenNcr--Guest OF
NnIe Club nj Breakfast ut
Country Club,

DENVER. Oct 3-In 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 reso-
iutions adopted yesterday The president
declared that the west needed capital to
develop its public lanus and said that
only through a federal leasing system
could the capital be induced to come west,
President Taft arrived here at O'Clock
and was Immediately taken TO the Coun'
try club where he was guest Of Yale
alumni at breakfast. His train was de-
layed two hours by a washout
The president spoke in the Auditorium,
built to hold more than u,OOO persons,
and few seats were vacant In spite Of
his disagreement with the views ex-
pressed by the convention the president
was we'll received. When he made some
of his points against the proposal Of the
convention that either public lands be
disposed of to individuals or else placed
under the care Of the separate states
the crowd applauded vigorously.
At one point in his speech the presi-
dent was discussing the public domain
in general terms.
who owns the public domain, %
PRESIDENT" shouted an old man sitting
just under the platform.
"The United States owns the public
domain" said Mr.. Taft, showing some
heat, "and the United states is the peo-
pie of the United States"
The president said that he knew that he
was in a peculiar position. since the con
vention had already reached its verdict
with respect to puSlic lands.
II know" said itr. Taft, how irri-
tating II is 10 have somebody else lay
down rules for your moral uplift, but
you've got to stand a great deal in order
to make progress. I will end as I began
am not in agreement with your ver-
diet
Pleads for ConceEaiOns.
President Taft pleaded for concessions
upon the part of the convention and
suggested that when men were sent TO
Washington to argue with congressional
committees about matters affecting the
public lands and the policy Of conserva-
tion they should not be tied with strings
so they could have no leeway.
The president said that the discussion
Of conservation, at least east of the
Missouri river, had not reached stage
where points of difference were looked
at calmly and dispassionately.
From the mistakes of the past, he said,
the country will now learn TO go about
saving its natural resources in the best
way possible and with the best results.
Mr. Taft admitted that in the old days
public land had been grabbed in many
instances by corporations and combina-
tions and declared that to prevent a
repetition of such grabbing was the work
Of the present and future.
system VIII VIndicate Itself.
While the west. he said, might fret
under a systAm that seemed slow. in
the end it would prove the best
We may kick against the situation
as it is, but you are prosperous out here
in the west and know that kicking
against the pricks does not help you. 1t
doesn't do TO abuse verybody--that
doesn't help a bit. Certain Of us can
stand it and have got to the point where
| 1t is a normal condition"
This sally, directed apparently at him
self. appealed to the audience and
caused much laughter.
The president explained that he does
not desire, through a federal leasing sys-
TEN Of public lands, to fill the treasury
with funds that shan lie there unused
but pointed ont that filling the treasury
would aid the west In getting appropria-
tions in the future.
I'm president OF the whole republic "
he said, land what l am trying to do is
to get you together. Your proposition is
that the leasing system won't bring cap
ital TO the west and my proposition is
that II will. l am appealing against your
| decree
Mr.. Taft spoke highly OF the work Of
Secretary OF the Interior Fisher and
briefly defended the administration s