Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-03-07
BETTER CONTROL
FOR THE PEOPLE
PINCHOT SEES FULL DEVELOP
MICNT or POLITICAL MATURITY.
PRESENT Time FORMATIVE
Individuals Ablior Power of Special
Intcrcsts-Stato Legislatures Arc
Active.

cans OF ohio. Ha declared that the
present Is the formative time and
remarked that there Is much political
unrest abroad In the land, lie voiced
the utterance that the many state leg
islatures are pushing through pro
gressiye laws for the popular govern.
ment Of tho different states, giving
the people "A better control over the
direct affairs which interest them.
There Is no movement In politics
more vital today than this" said he,
Tho following is his address
Generations have their character
istcs a. well as men, During the last
third OF tho nineteenth century the
American people gave their energy
and their Intelligence mainly TO tho
great blsk of material Development,
Under tina power and drive OF their
concentration upon material success
thely developed this continent with a
thorough going effectiveness without
parallel In history New industrial
devices, both mechanical and legal.
were needed. and appeared. and they
were as effective "A they were new.
These new devices were applied to
our vast natural resources and made
tho nation rich. But In tho process
the tools came to outweigh their mas
ters. and tho political power Of cor
porations created by the people be-
came the dominant factor in govern
ment.
when tho great combinations Of
capital found that monopolistlc con-
troll Of the natural sources Of wealth
could he secured more easily through
politics than In any other way they
went into politics Using corrupt
commercial methods with the tireless
efficiency they had learned IN their
legitimate operations, they set out 20
get political power. ard they succeed
3D. Political power opened an easy
way % use money to get more money,
and they clung 90 II TN thay wore
their welcome out. Tho Payne-Ald-
rich tariff was the last straw.
During the first third Of the twen-
ueth century the political Ideals which
underlie our government are likely
20 have a Development comparable 20
the development OF our material re-
sources. II the civil war, This po-
litio,l development Is already well be-
gun II rests on the fact that our peo-
pie possess dormau resources OF po-
ltiral power as yet not put 10 use,
but ready to be employed for the pub
10 welfare as soon as the necessary
devices are available Political clyili-
2ltion. or government for the welfare
Of the average man, Is likely TO devel-
Op as rapidly under the impulse ot
this fact as material civilization de-
veloped through the application Of
electricity TO tho arts.
From the point Of view Of material
civilization, the most important event
Of recent years Is the conversion Of
this nation TO the conservation idea,
The American people are fully per-
suaded today that 50 for as the nat
ural resources are concerned our
prosperity now and hereafter depends
on looking ahead, Having acquired,
at least In part. the habit Of foresight
IN this one sreat field. we are begin
ping % carry Il into the field of poli-
tics and 20 demand chat the machln-
cry Of government shall IN the future
DO more responsive TO tho popular will
than Il has been IN the past.
Tho sign and promise OF all this IS
the political unrest Of tho present day.
As have had occasion TO say more
than once the fundamental fact today
IN politics IS tho profound lndlgna-
ton Of the voters against the political
power Of tho special interests As
citizens We are beginning 90 see that
II wa are 20 govern ourselves IN tho
future with less dlctatlon from tho spe-
clll Interests than we have had IN the
past, the machinery OF government
must be so adjusted os 20 make Il
easier for the popular will 20 produce
results, It must be made easier for
the people 10 secure continuously the
honest enforcement OF their will than
lt I3 for the business and political
bosses 20 secure continuously the de-
feat Of the popular VIII IN their own
interest. Wo cannot always work
AlbNA ANAHl IT, pbull'hl blhhNlHhllpN
such that unbearable abuses are tho
only sltmulants strong enough 70 make
the people demand and got their
rights Good government IN spurt5
ls not good enough. What wo need
IA machinery under which the hard
ost work VIII always have 20 be done
by the men who ara trying 60 defeat
the popular VIII, and not by tho men
who are trying 10 get It enforced.
The demand for better things Is
working out IN many state legislatures
through the passage OF progressive
laws for popular government. Under
these laws which ere by no means
rsvolutlonarT the pespio Will take
better control Of their own affairs.
There Is no movement IN politics to-
day more vital than this and II Is
for this reason that tho Organization
OF the National Progressive Republl-
can League was u thoroughly good
thing.
I'm the field Of national politics
the situation Is less clear Here the
central question about which men are
thinking uonCarna tho nrngtdpntIaI