The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-30
Colonel Roosevelt Points Out
That the President
Has Failed to Carry ON "COun-
try Life" Policy.
WELFARE OF THE FARMER
The Subject of His Address at
st. Paul.
Saws His Conservation Policy
Has Been Reversed.

St. Paul. Mimi, March S0.-AnotheI
plank in the platform upon which Col
Roosevelt is to fight out his campaign
was brought forth in a speech which
he made here. Taking as his subject
THE welfare of the Farmer he said
the movement for conserving the coun-
trys natural resources and for help
ing the betterment of country life hao
not been carried forward in the period
since the end of his administration.
He advocated a policy of government
activity in this direction.
Colonel Roosevelt's address was de-
livered toward the close of a day in
which he Travelled across Iowa and
part of Minnesota and made a dozen
speeches. On reaching st. Paul he con-
ferred with political supporters and in
the evening went to the auditorium
the day. He then went to Minneap-
oils to make a short speech, before
starting for Chicago.
In his speech here Col Roosevelt
said the progressiyes stood for conser-
walton and betterment of country life.
For the last three years. he con-
tinued, there has been, as regards
both of these, first reaction, and, sec
ond, when under a storm of public dis
approval the policy of open reaction
was abandoned, weak and hating &C
ton without the forceful central lead
and abiding conviction
The colonel referred ii his appoint
ment of the national conservation COM
mission and added:
Unfortunately the policy thus be-
gun was completely reversed by the
appointment of Mr.. Ballinger and the
dismissal of effort Pinchot.'
Speaking of the movement for bet
torment of country life, Col. Roosevelt
expressed his belief that farmers
should adopt the cooperative sys-
tenn
IAN immense impulse to the move
ment would result from the extension
of recognized leadership and sympathy
from the chief executive of the govern
ment,'' he said.
The CoIonel's Speech.
He spoke as follows:
1.-THE purpose of the progressives in
this campaign is to restore and secure
to the plain people that position OF
control in the government of their
own country which in the working OF
our institutions is being insidiously
wrested from them. We make our APP
peal alike to business man and pro-
fessional man, to wageworker ana
farmer. In this speech propose TO
deal chiefly with the needs of the
farmer; for theresis nobody of men
whose economic liberties and oppor-
tunities we progressives more earnest
" desire to conserve and enlarge
Speaking to the farmers, and to all
others who have insight to grasp the
essential dependence of the nation on
the producers of its food, shall briefly
discuss two great public questions of
vital and far reaching Importance; the
conservation of natural resources and
the betterment of country life
1T is one of the chief duties-and
It is the highest privilege-Of a presi-
dent of the United States to be the
active leader and exponent of policies
which will help the people to. obtain
such legislative and administrative re
forms are required to meet any
reasonable popular demand which
makes for the common good. While
I was president 1 had found that in
the first matter-the conservation of
the nations reSOurces-the national
conscience had been moved, and that
in the second-the condition and out
look of rural population-there was a
widespread feeling that things were
wrong. Consequently I took definite
action in the hope and belief that ade
Quate remedies would be provided, and
I now stand for the revival and de-
velopment of the policies thus initi-
ated.
Upon conservation I can be brief,
for, in it's broad outlines at least, the
subject is generally understood. What
first called attention to the gravity of
the question was the destruction of the
national forests.
Fight for Conservation.
The long fight to protect the for
ests of the United States has not been
to keep them out of use, but on the
contrary to encourage the utilization
of them to the fullest extent consistent
with preserving their power of ser
vice to the people for all time. Con-
servation is not keeping out of use
but is putting things to the best use
without waste and where possible pre-
serving their perennial usefulness un-
impaired. Where public rights exist, |
conservation is to insure to the public
the full enjoyment and benefit of
these rights and at the same time to
protect and encourage private enter
prise engaged in development work
THE same principle applies to all
natural resources. The fertility of the
lands must be protected while the an
citizen has a right to despoil the land |
and leave it so impoverished as TO i'm |
peril the future prosperity and stabil- !
ity of the nation. This nation must |
not allow its future to be endangered |
by the reckless exhaustion of the |
natural resources which are essential |
mt cans to its existence and greatness
and also the sources out of which la !
Dor can obtain legitimate satisfaction |
The way to defend private property !
is to obey what is now the settled ma
tional resolve as to the proper use
and conservation of public property |
We progressiveS declare that this gen
Grafton shall not pass away without !
having wiped out of it's record the
charge of unconcern for the country's