The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-19
SECRETARY FISHER CONVERTED

conscrvation; he wants the public lands
to be used, and the public resources ac.
tually developed We find in Sunday s
Boise Statesman detailed account of
Secretary Fishers speech before the
Commercial Club Of that city the previ'
Gus evening, Senator Borah appears
to have been the evangel through which
the conversion was clinchcd In the
coIloauies between Senator Borah and
Secretary Fisher the Senator insisted
that there were some things wanted by
way Of relief from the administrative
expressions of the past, and that among
these things were. first, three-F year
homestead law: second. tho assurance
of patents 10 the settler AT the end OF
the homestead period; third, the grad
uaton of payments; fourth, the cancel
Iatiou of those Withdrawals for coal and
power sites which simply cover agricul-
tural land Other things arc also de-
sirable, but these, Senator Borah SAID,
arc the most important
The Statesman Describes the talk
back and forth between The Senator and
the Secretary as ''bout The Secre-
tary number of times asked for "con.
crete examples t'actually existing
concrete problems. - and "concrcte
things which we have TO face here and
now Senator Borah was nothing loth,
and made direct, positive, and complete
answers to every question or suggestion.
"Thosc Two hundred townsitcs in the
Snake river valley that have been with.
drawn for coal; those great alfalfa
fields; those great wheat fields; those
rich lands where the spade goes on
down and down until you strike Il lake
these, Mr.. Secretary. are concrete
examples, - cried Senator Borah; and
burst Of applause followed that was
appreciated by the Secretary.
In his remarks Secretary Fisher an
nouuccd that he was conservationist,
thorougheoing and decided lie con
fessed. however, that there were so
many definitions Of the word that it
seemed necessary for him TO define what
he meant by conservation. And his
definition was:
by thorough going conservation, mean
wise though vigorous development. Look
ing al the problem OF conservation in this
country as | do today, ! think that the
sole and only. question is. How can we
best 6evelp the natural resources as
whole. for the country a whole. for
the benefit of the people as whole,
rather than for any small group OF spe-
cial interests or any small part Of the
community?
The Secretary asked all 10 forget the
quarrcls of the past and face actual
present and future problems. "There
has been too much pickering, - he said,
''ovcr what has been done, aud too lit
tie constructive work for what is be.
ing done and for what should be done. -
And he continues
First of all. let il be known that the
man on the land is the man who inter
csts me. If you understand what that
means. you'll understand my position as
briefly as | can state II.
MS the man on the land who lis essen
tia1. 1t Is he that builds up The country
and develops the resources and produces
wealth and makes everything else posi-
so,% es for s G9mm%n% 6e'nTg In, 70 tha,
land. Aud believe lust as hard. on the
other side, that YOU should make II hard
or for the man who holds the land and
won't develop. bu, Just waits SO that he
can get higher price from the man who
is the actual settler and is the actual man
on the land
sag plainly that haven't any regard
for the interests or speculation. ! don I
think speculation docs a country any good.
And, furthermore, | want TO say that
| and my department. while ] am In IT,,
will do everything in our power 10 accom- :
pliSh realization p( those r,ripri =
pies: Help the man on the land make 1t
harder for the Spectator.
All of which is good to sec and 10
read Secretary Fisher can repair the
ravages of misguided extremists OF the
past if he will proceed faithfully and
earnestly on the lines here stated. Com
ing to the point Of relief for tbe settlers
who have been put 10 great distress by
reason Of the government s failures aud
exactions, Mr.. Fisher said:
Here We find that man comes on the
land. puts his money into necessary
buildings. a house and outbuildings and
TO clear his land. He comes in good Gaitn,
meaning 10 do everything the government
asks Of him. and he works ahead. and
pretty soon his money is all gone and
mercy for him. He faces ruin and the
loss OF everything. His hard years OF toll
and effort and sacrifice and isolat ton and
struggle have netted him-what? Moth
Ing; Tell me that's right, Tell me that S
Just / say. no, It's wrong dead wrong,
and the fact that tho United States gov
ernment does II and allows this sort OF
thing 10 go on. knowing tho terrible in
Justice OF II. makes no difference TO me.
I've come that far TO The western view.
Great and extended applausc.)
Continuing, he said that the payments
demanded by the government arc too
| high. that the settler has too great a
| burden 10 bear during the early years
| The government should only want a
guarantee of continuous and progrcs
siye cultivation, that which can bc rea-
| sonably expected from an ordinary man
! He denounced. however. the hardy
pioneer who sits in n comfortable of
fec in New York. Chicago. or Cleveland
and talks about the awful hardships of
the carly pioneer on a homestead. He
! is not in favor of spectators or those
who hold back and want Others TO 20 to
I tho front and do thc work which ma X q,