The Republican journal., 1916-10-05
Concerning Conservation.

To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: The Con-
servatlon of natural resources has become
one of the largest issues of our time. In the
campaign of 1911? it formed one of the chief
planks in the Democratic platform, and was
often endorsed in Mr.. Wilson's speeches. His
inaugural address committed him fully to sup
port it.
For these reasoLs 10 important TO know
what the Wilson Administration has done.
As one man deeply Interested in Conservation
and familiar with the record, am writing to
lay it 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 Inauguration. the friends of Conser-
walton, regardless of partisanship. offered him
their help in putting the Conservation policies
through. The opportunity invited action.
The fight to save Alaska from the Guggen-
helms had created living body of public
opinion which lacked 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 Wilson Ad-
mlnistration in Conservation was good. Con-
gress passed, and MIR. Wilson signed, the
Alaska Railroad Bill and the bill which assured
Government 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 a bill to give away
National Forest lands,
Unfortunately these cred1table instances
form but little of the record. Politics came
into control. Thus bill seeking to turn the
natural resources of Alaska over to political
commission was repeatedly recommended by
the Administration 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 policy al
most certain to destroy the National controi
This measure we were fortunately able to
stop.
When Wilson became President, the Re-
clama ton Service. in its great work of irrigat-
ing the arid lands of the W est, was wholly free
from politics. By the mouth of his secretary
signed, bill which leaves the choice of lands
to be reclaimed to a Comm ittee of Congress,
and so makes politics dominate the Service.
Director Newell was the man who created
the Reclamation Service. He made and kept
it one of the most efficient Bureaus under the
Government. The Secretary of the Interior
forced him out. and replaced him by Com
mission in which politicians control.
The Newlands bill is conservation measure
which proposes to develop all the resources of
our inland waterways-waterpower naviga-
ton. irrigation, and dom este supply-for the
public benefit. Although Wilson strongly en-
dorsed it during his campaign, as President he
let it drop, and instead has signed two water
way bills of the old pork barrel type, which
are everything the Newlands bill is not.
Waterpower is the most valuable resource
still in public hands. There is undeveloped wa
terpower in our navigable streams equal to
twice the power of every kind now used in the
United States. 1t is huge prize. For years
the waterpower interests have been fighting to
seize ii, and the Conservationists to save 1t for
the people.
waterpower measure, the Adamson bill.
came before the House in 1914. 1t favored
monopoly. and gave the special interests, for
nothing. the public water power or navigable
streams. Nevertheless Wilson endorsed it.
On it's way through the House, the bad parts
of the Adamson bill were stricken out, and the
public rights were secured. Thereupon Will
son reversed his previous stand, and endorsed
the amended bill,
This good bill then went to the Senate, where
it was shelved, and the lndefensible Shields
bill was reported in its place The Shields
bill gives away the public waterpower for
ever and for nothing Both Roosevelt and
Taft vetoed bills drawn on the same principle.
Yet, by another reversal, the Wilson Admins
tration got behind it, and when widely clrcu-
lated public appeal was made to the President
for his help to defeat it. he refused.
AS to waterpower on the public lands, there
is but one reversal instead of two. Wilson
first, by the mouth of member of his Cabi
net. endorsed the Ferris bill, which was main
ly good. 1t was replaced in the Senate by the
Myers bill, which is thoroughly bad. Among
other things this bill actually throws the Grand
Canyon. the greatest natural wonder OF Amer
lea, wide open to individual appropriation.
Nevertheless, Wilson reversed himself in Or
der to give it in the same way his endorse
ment.
Both as to waterpowers on navigable streams
and on public lands, the last reversals leave
the Administration standing with the special
interests against the people.
The Phelan oil land measure, would hand
over to private individuals who have no legal
rights to the valuable oil lands set aside as
reserves for the Navy. The Navy Department
has made public announcement that the mere
threat of the Phelan bll's passage has caused
it "to seriously consider the ACCESSIBILITY of
the policy of constructing oil
burning ships. Only oil burning ships can
develop and maintain the high speeds required
in modern war, and without them no Navy can
be even second class. The Secretary of the
Interior actively supported this surrender of
National safety to private greed. The Secre-
tary of the Navy and the Attorney General
opposed it. Wilson remained neutral and did
nothing
Because Wilson refused to take sides, or