Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-26
Editors Letter Box
Pjnchot on Conservation
Editor Kennebec Journal:


dorsed in Mr.. Wilson's speeches. His
inaugural address committed him fully
to support It,
For these reasons 1t is important to
know what the Wilson Administration
has done. As ono man deeply interested
in Conservation and familiar with the
record. am writing to lay 1t briefly be-
fore you.
When he took ONCE, 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 Conservation, regardless OF
partisanship. offered him their help in
putting tho Conservation policies
through. The opportunity invited ac-
tion. The night to save Alaska from tho
Guggenheims had created a living body
Of public opinion which lacked only
official leadership to save what resour-
ces still remained in public hands. It
seemed at first that President Wilson
would lead.
At the outset tho work Of the Wilson
Administration in Conservation was
good. Congress passed, and Mr.. 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 de-
serves praise for their enactment. So
he does for his veto Of bill to give
away National Forest lands.
Unfortunately these creditable instan-
ces form but little Of the record. Polt-
tics came into control. Thus bill seek
ing to turn the natural resources Of
Alaska over to a political commission
was repeatedly recommended by the Ad-
ministration through the mouth Of the
Secretary OF the Interior. If passed 1t
would have thrown Alaska into the
hands Of the special interests and es-
tablished a policy almost certain to de-
stroy the National control Of natural re-
sources everywhere else as we'll. This
| measure we were fortunately able to
stop.
When Wilson became President, the
Reclamation Service. in it's 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, a
bill which leaves the choice Of lands to
be reclaimed to Committee Of Con-
gress, and so makes politics dominate
the Service.
Director Newell was the man who Gre
| ated 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 Commission in
which politicians control.
The Newlands bill is a Conservation
measure which proposes to develop all
the resources OF our inland waterways
waterpower. navigation, irrigation, and
domestic supply.-for the public benefit.
Although Wilson strongly endorsed it
during his campaign, as President he
let 1t drop, and instead has signed two
| waterway bills Of the old pork-barreI
type. which are everything the New
| lands bill is not
Waterpower Is the most valuable re-
source still in public hands. There is
undeveloped waterpower in our naviga-
BILE 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 1t, and the Conserva-
| tionists to save 1t for the people.
A waterpower measure, the Adamson
Bill, came before the House in 1914. It
| favored monopoly. and gave the special
interests. for nothing. the public water
| power on navigable streams. Neverthe-
| less Wilson endorsed it,
On its way through the House. the bad
parts Of the Adamson bill were stricken
out, and the public rights were secured.
Thereupon Wilson reversed his previous
stand, and endorsed the amended bill.
This good bill then went to the Senate,
where 1t was shelved, and the indefensi-
BILE Shields bill was reported in its
place. The Shields bill gives away the
public waterpowers forever and for
nothing. Both Roosevelt and Taft ve-
toed bills drawn on the same principle.
Yet, by another reversal the Wilson
Administration got behind It, and when
a widely circulated 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 a member
OF his Cabinet, endorsed the Ferris bill.
which was mainly good. It was re-
placed 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 America. wide open to indivi-
dual appropriation Nevertheless, Will
son reversed himself in order to give it
IN the same way his endorsement.
Both as to waterpower on navigabIe
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 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 bills passage has caused It
/ ito seriously consider the advisability
! Of abandoning" the policy Of construct
ing 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 sec.
ond class. The Secretary of the Interi-
or actively supported this surrender Of
| National safety to private greed. The
| Secretary Of the Navy and the Attorney
| General opposed 1t. Wilson remained
neutral and did nothing.
! Because Wilson refused to take sides or