The daily sentinel., 1913-12-03
EFFETE EAST OBJECTS TO CONSERVATION
POLICY WHICH THEY LOADED ON THE west
Pnchot Policies All Right When Tried on Colorado and West
But Eastern States Don't Want Federal Control
When Shoe PinGheS Them.

command the unquestioning confi-
denee OF the Pinehot followers. and
OF the champions OF the Western
idea" II these latter forces are
sincere in their opposition to the
schemes of monopoly why not seek
common ground under the leadership
Of Wilson and Lane and endeavor
to win great constructive victory?
Who Has the Key?
Mr.. Pinchot has shown us how to
lock up our resources. Who will
show us how to unlock them, make
them available for the use of the
people. and at the same time safe
guard them against the monopolistic
burglars? Let me give a few exam
pies to illustrate what | mean:
Colorado Is threatened with indus
trial paralysis because three large
coal companies are quarreling with
their men and refuse to consider ar
bftration. Yet the state of Colorado
owns 100000 acres of coal land
much more than the total possession
of all these coal companies-and the
United States government controls
within the borders of Colorado hun
dreds of thousands of acres of coal
land. Still neither the state nor the
national government seems capable
of affording the people relief.
Again, few men dictate the price
of lumber in this country. Most of
them stole the timber lands they
possess. but clever lawyers kept them
out of the penitentiary and showed
them how to form the lumber trust.
The United States government owns
more timber land than the trust and
spends millions every year con
serving" it, but it can not compel
the trust to reduce its prices by so
much as one penny on the thousand
feet.
Again, John d. Rockefeller and
the Standard Oil Company enjoy q
monopoly of the oil business of this
country, and through that monopoly
have accumulated fortunes which
make the wealth of Midas and Croe-
sus look like a congressman's salary
after he has settled with a Washing
ton hotel keeper. Now Uncle Sam
controls more oil land than the
Standard Oil Company. and its aux
iliaries, but he can not influence the
price of oil by so much as fraction
of cent per gallon.
/ might multiply these examples
indefinitely. but 1t is unnecessary.
1 ne ueeu OF u cnAHBe In pOllcy must
be apparent to all. Where is the
statesman who can blaze the new
trail?
A Corporation Tip.
The Rio Grande Railroad Company
has shown the people of Colorado
one way in which the thing can be
done. The Rio Grande does not mine
coal, but 1t uses great deal. 1t had
no desire to be at the mercy of Its
fellow corporationists who were en-
gagged in the coal business. SO many
years, through an auxiliary compa-
ny. it leases several hundred acres
of state coal land in the heart of
the Las Animas-Huerfano coal
fields. 1t has never mined a pound
of coal on this land and it never will,
so long as the coal companies fur
nish it with coal at what it regards
as a reasonable price. If the Rio
Grande can use our lands to safe
guard its interest, don't you think we
might be able to use the same tao
tics in regulating the price which the
people of Colorado shall pay for their
winter supply of fuel?