Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-03-06
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 Lunaties.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
ENTHUSIASTICALLY every month
luring the winter season there is held
N Washington a meeting of some kind
Of an association or other having as
one of it's objects the p reservation Of
the national resources az the country,
the mineral wealth, the tree wealth or
It 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 vice-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 1t seems that
most of the credit for the conservation
movement is given to men in high
places, but If the truth were spoken
the initial credit would be given else
where, and then the great ones OF
earth could come in for their credit rs
promoters of what has been started
for them.
II a delegate to a waterways con-
vention, or, perhaps, more consistent
ly, a member of a conservation asso-
citation should rise and ask pointedty
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
like 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 homer 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 gams
and song birds and useful mammals.
Only once in long while was next
ioor neighbor interested. 1t took years
ior the interest to extend beyond the
nearest street corner. The men who
wished the country to save its wealth
we're called cranks behind their backs
and enthusiasts to their faces. They
we're believed to be harmless lunatics
who must have their say, and because
hey are harmless. must be tolerated.
U. S. Grant ~. 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
"a only temporary detail, for 1t is ex-
pected that soon the third Grant to
serve his country in the regular army
will be ordered to southern post
When young Grant was ordered to
Wellington it was said that he was
W act as a society aid" to the presi
dent This was far from being the
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 DO of
interest 10 know, is Captain Lee Of
the cavalry. son of Fitzhugh Lee Of
the Confederate army and a nephew
Of General Robert E. Lee. 1t is ex-
pected that before long a grandson OF
General Stonewall jackson. who gradu-
ated from West Point a 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
uninteresting. He is only twenty-seven
years old and he bears little resem-
blance to his fathers family, looking
much like his mother. who was Miss
Honore Of Chicago prior to her mar
riage to Frederick Dent Grant. now
a major general in the army.
Captain Grant lives in two small
rooms at Washington barracks in this
city, and the quarters are as plain
as any his distinguished grandfather
ever occupied. except of course. when
he was in the field The government
does not allow sumptuous quarters to
its young officers. The invitations that
Captain Grant receives weekly to So
ciety affairs in Washington would iii
a small bag. but he accepts precious
few Of them. much to the disappolnt-
ment of the younger society set.
Grants natural ambition is to be