Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-27
THE conservation of natural re-
sources has become one of the

TIME conservation of natural re-
i sources has become one of the
largest issues of our time. In
the campaign of 1912 it formed one
OF the chief planks in the Democratic
platform and was often indorsed in
Mr.. Wilson's speeches. His inaugural
address committed him fully to sup
port it.
For these reasons it is important
to know what the Wilson Administra-
tton has done. AS one man deeply
interested in conservation and familiar
with the record, I am writing to lay
1t briefly before you.
When he took Office Mr.. Wilson
ceased to say much on conservation,
preferring to let the members of his
Cabinet speak for him. After his in
auguration the friends of conservation,
regardless of partisanship offered him
their help in putting the conservation
policies through. The opportunity in
vited action. The fight to save Alaska
from the Guggenheims had created a
living body of public opinion, which
lacked lack only official leadership to save
What resources still remained in pub
lie hands. 1t seemed at first that
President Wilson would lead
AT the outset the work of the Will
son Administration in conservation
was good. Congress passed and Mr..
Wilson signed the Alaska railroad bill
and the bill which assured Govern
ment control of coal lands in Alaska.
These measures were excellent and
President Wilson deserves praise for
their enactment. So he does for his
veto of bill to give away National
Forest lands.
Unfortunately, these creditable in
stances form but little of the record.
Politics came into control. Thus a
bill seeking to turn the natural re-
sources of Alaska over to a political
commission was repeatedly recon-
mended by the administrator through
the mouth of the Secretary of the
Interior. If passed, it would have
thrown Alaska into the hands of the
special interests and established a
policy almost certain to destroy the
national control of natural resources
everywhere else as we'll. This meas
ure we were fortunately able to stop.
When Wilson became President the
Reclamation Service, in its great work
of irrigating the arid lands of the
West. was wholly free from politics.
By the mouth of his Secretary of the
Interior Wilson advocated, and later
signed bill which leaves the choice
of lands to be reclaimed to a commit
tee of Congress-, and so makes politics
dominate the service.
Director Newell was the man who
SiS1ISo tHC IscCldIldllOn SERVICE. lie
made and kept 1t one of the most
efficient bureaus under the Govern
ment. The Secretary of the Interior
forced him out and replaced him by
commission in which politicians
control.
The Newlands bill is a conservation
measure which proposes to develop
all the resources of our inland water
ways-water power, navigation, irriga-
ton and domestic supply-for the
public benefit. Although Wilson
strongly Endorsed 1t during his cam
paign, as President he let it drop, and
instead has signed two waterway bills
! of the old pork-barrel type, which are
everything the Newlands bill is not.
Water power is the most valuable
resource still in public hands. There
is undeveloped water power in our
navigable streams equal to twice the
power of every kind now used in the
United States. 1t Is a huge prize For
years the water-power interests have
been fighting to seize it and the con