The Washington times., 1913-01-16
ANOTHER BALLINGER MENACE.

The persistent report that former Governor Edwin
L. Norris of Montana is likely to get the Interior
portfolio in the Wilson Cabinet is for serious
concern among friends of proper conservation
deed, of any conservation at all.
Governor Norris has a conservation record that
should exclude him from all consideration unless il
is to be the deliberate policy of the new Adminisra
ton to turn the public domain over to the States
wash the Federal hands of it. and let the States
squander this national heritage as they choose.
If the nation wants its remaining national re-
sources administered by communities in which Gug
genheim control, or Amalgamated Copper domina
ton, or Mormon church influence, or Lumber trus
wealth, or water power intrigue have been the
causes of nationwide scandal-then let the public
domain be parceled out to the States.
Let it become the billion-dollar-priz in grand
game for Lorimerized legislatures and personally
conducted offciaries to play at.
Governor Norris became head of his State in 1910
Before he is made Secretary of the Interior, his
earlier connections as a lawyer for Amalgamated
Copper might well be examined
He was one of the prime movers in organizing
the Conference of Northwestern Governors at Salt
Lake in 1870 1t was said that he wrote this highly
suggestive resolution of that conference certainly
he approved it:
=" = that State government, no less benef-
icently than national, is capable of devsing and
administering laws for the conservation of pub
lie property; and that the national and State
governments should legisatively coordinate
to the end that within reasonable period the
State governments be conceded full and COM
plete administration of such conservation laws
may be found adaptable, to the varying con-
ditions of the several States.
Does that suffer any other possible construction
than cession of the public domain to the States?
Governor Norris led the water power discussion,
and this resolution was passed:
The use and control of all water power in 2
heres of right In the States, within restrictions
insuring perpetual freedom from monopoly
On September S, 1909, at the Conservation Con-
gress at ST. Paul, Governor Norris speech was a
plea for State control and owernship.
In his message to the Montana legislature on con-
servation he said
have at all times advocated and do
earnestly favor the surrender by the United
States to the States of all control and benefit in
water and power Sites under the condition.
however that the State shall enact laws ." to
conserve and regulate the use OF these re-
sources
And again in that same message
There are those who insist that the Iegis-
latures are less disposed than Congress to enact
laws for the wise and administrator of nat
ural resources. l not in accord with this be-
lief .s* am encouraged to believe that Con-
gress will surrender the control and benefit of
water and power sites to the States when Con-
gress sees that wise administration of these
resources will follow.
1t is reported that Mr.. Bryan favors Norris for
the Interior Secretayshp and favors the Norris plan
of handling the public domain. To believe that Mr.
Bryan is so far enamoured of the ancient State rights
doctrine as to take this position is almost beyond be-
lief To assume that Mr.. Wilson would acquiesce
in it. even to please Mr.. Bryan, is quite beyond
belief.
Governor Wilson has need to beware of both
doctrinarian counsels and plundering interests.
The movement to grab the public domain is
POWERFUL determined, and backed by whatever re-
mains of the old, extreme State rights school of
thought
That movement is powerful and mendacous
enough to wreck a Democratic Administration, if
need be, on tine same rock of Ballingersm on which
the Taft regime went TO pieces.