The Washington herald., 1913-04-07
CONSERVATION PLAN
IS BITTERLY ATTACKED
CHEF Supporters Of Movement Are
"Big Interests" in Charge Of
Press AGENT.

The publicity agent for the State Rights
Association sends the following, its third
bulletin, to The Washington Herald. The
Herald does not in any way stand
sponsor for the views taken. Here 1t Is:
TN the effort to end the reckless over
riding Of the law. which they say has
characterized the Pinchot conservation
movement, Western and Southern Sena-
tors at the coming session Of Congress
intend to show that the big coal, rail-
road and lumber interests of the United
States are the chief supporters Of the
so-called conservation movement Some
OF the information which is to be used
IN this fight on the floor Of the House
and Senate has been furnished by Donald
A. Mckenzie and T. p. Mcdonald, CT
Alaska, both Of whom have lost their
money as a result of the arbitrary action
of the government in hating development
in that section of the country.
IF conservation means the develop
ment of our natural resources for the
benefit of all the people, including those
Of today as well as of the next genera
t.on," said Mr.. Mckenzie, then l am
for it, No one believes that the mineral
wealth of the country should be allowed
to get into the hands of the big inter-
ests, which will exploit it for their own
purposes and against the welfare OF the
people.
THE trouble is. however. that under the
last administration, conservation mas
worked against the interest of the poor
man, the prospector and the man with
small capital to invest in mine, lumber
business, or a water power site. ana mas
played into the hands Of the men of big
fortunes It Is significant that the Gug-
genheims. who have been charged with
attempts to steal Alaska. are the very
first to accept the Pinchot plan for leas-
ing system, and have employed William
Loeb, jr, the present Collector of the Fort
of New York, at a salary OF $25.OoO year,
to take charge of their interests and ar
range for a complete compliance with the
Pinchot theories. The Guggenheims well
come this leasing system of conservation.
because they are the only ones who can
do business on such a scale. The pros
pector has no chance at all under such
system. and where We have located on
lands the government is holding US up and
making IL easy for the GuggenheiHfs to
obtain a monopoly.
THE only reason that water power is
valuable is because II can furnish power
cheaper than coal fuel. Naturally. the
coal trust and the big railroads are not
anxious - see the water power OF such
states as Alabama utilized, because II
would mean either a reduction in the
in eithe- of which cases the coal trust
and the railroads might have to lose
some OF their profits. Along the Coosa
River there is unlimited water power
that could be used, 6ut is now going to
waste, because the government insists
on system whereby IL will obtain part
Of the profits of all water power. Unless
water power can be used more cheaply
than coal. however. there is no sense in
developing it. and the coal companies,
naturally. are anxious that the govern
ment should tax cheap water power to
the limit
The same thing is true Of the lumber
trust. The biggest lumber barons con-
tribute to the cause of conservation be-
cause 1t helps them to maintain a mon
opoly. Mr.. Pinchot will not deny that he
is in frequent consultation with the big
gest lumber men in the country, and
that they are giving him their support"