Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-03-01
CREDIT Due CRANKs
Theirs the Honor of First ARGUS
ing Country to Conserva
ton Doctrine.
WERE LAUGHED AT AT FIRST
Men Who Called Attention to Waste
of country's Resources and Its
Dangers Were Regarded as
Harmless Lunatics.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

-6y GEORGE CLIN ION.
ENTHUSIASTICALLY every month
during the winter season there is held
In Washington meeting of some kind
OF an association or other having as
one of its objects the preservation Of
the national resources of the country,
the mineral wealth, the tree wealth or
1T may be the scenery wealth, for
there are organizations today whose
sole object is to preserve the natural
beauty spots of the United States.
When these various congresses meet
they are addressed as a rule by the
president or by the yice-president of
the United States or by some ambassa-
dor from foreign country, or as was
the case not long ago, by some great
business man active or retired, like
Andrew Carnegie Today it seems that
most of the credit for the conservation
movement is given to men in high
places, but if the truth We're spoken
tile initial credit would be given else
where, and then the great ones of
earth could come in for their credit as
promoters of what has been started
for them.
If delegate to waterways con-
Yention, or, perhaps, more consistent
ly, member of conservation asso-
citation should rise and ask pointedly
to whom belongs the credit of rousing
ing the people of the country to the ne
cessity Of saving that which the
Lord gave them, there are sew
eral men who could, if they would,
give the true answer thus: "The cranks
OF the United States" No monument
liRe the energetic organizations for
the building of waterways, for saw
ing the flow of streams and for the
preservation of the lands wealth ever
before was raised in honor of the coun-
try's cranks, and, in truth, these or
CARNATIONS were not raised and re-
cruited with any intention of honor
ing the cranks, but to them the honor
is due none the less.
Took Years of Work.
This economic Salvation Army
movement had its inception with men
who for years tried without effect to
get their next door neighbors interest
ed In such matters as saving the trees,
saving the streams, saving the coal,
saving the fish and saving the game
and song birds and useful mammals.
Only once in long while was next
door neighbor interested. It took yeary
for the interest to extend beyond the
nearest street corner The men who
wished the country to save its wealth
were called cranks behind their backs
and enthusiasts to their faces. They
were believed to be harmless lunatics
who must have their say, and because
they are harmless, must be tolerated.
U. S. Grant III. Worker.
Capt. Ulysses S. Grant III. of the
engineer corps of the United States
army has been made the superinten-
dent of the state, war and navy build
ing in the city Of Washington. This
is only a temporary detail. for it is ex-
pected that soon the third Grant to
serve his country in the regular army
VIII be ordered to a southern post.
When young Grant was ordered to
Washington it was said that he was
to act as society aid" to the prasi-
dent. This was far from being TIE
truth for ever since coming here he
has been hard at work with the duties
of his profession. One of Young
Grants great friends, it may be of
interest to know, is Captain Lee of
the cavalry, son of Fitzhugh Lee of
he
of General Robert E. Lee. 1t is ex-
peeted that before long a grandson of
General Stonewall Jackson, who gradu-
ate1 from West Point year or two
ago, will be ordered to Washington for
duty.
His Great Ambition.
The Washington life of Captain
Ulysses S. Grant III only recently has
he been made a captain, may not be