Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1920-12-10
THE WEST IN THE CABINET


a pretty general demand Is bein
made for a western man in the cabine
~ Secretary Of the Interior. This de
rnand is based on the fact that al leas
ninety percent Of the work Of that de
parfment Is with those states Iyinl
west u The Mississippi and consider
abIy more than half Of that ninety per
cent IS With those states lying west d
the Rocky Mountains. This Is because
Of the vast undeveioped resources o.
that section Of the United States. And
II Is because OF these great undevelop-
ed resources that certain interests in
the cast who to serve their own pur-
pose wish 10 retard the western de-
velopment, are exerting themselves to
prevent western man getting that
particular place in the Cabinet These
eastern interests are the remnant of
the old cOnservationists led by Clifford
Pinchot Who would tie up the resources
Of the west for some far away future
generation They realize that there
can be more electrical water power de-
veloped IN the Snake River Valley
alone than exists in the entire group Of
New England States which are now
our ationai centers Of manufacture.
That the Development OF these recourc-
es means the transfer of these great
manufacturing industries to the Rocky
mountain States sooner or later, and
they wish IT TO be later.
But the indications are that a west
ern man viii be selected for this cab
net position and naturally everyone In
the west IL Interested in knowing who
II will be. IL is recognized that in Sc
lecting a cabinet the President is to be
left free 10 exercise his own personal
choice. that 1t is matter In which no
outsider or even close friend should
offer suggestion unless requested py
the President to do so. The selection
Of A wife. a private secretary, or a
Presidential cabinet are matters of
such close personal concern TO the
party making the selection that Il is
a matter in which outside advice or
suggestions are highly improper and
impairment.
Tho West is not lacking in men Of
caoinet size and the President viii
have no difficulty in selecting for his
Secretary OF the Interior a western man a
who will be the equal OF any other man y
If the Cabinet Among the western o
men who have been mentioned in this 81
there is no one more famir- o.
ar with western problems, or better I
Iuahfied TO solve them. than Major o.
red X. Reed, who. as manager of the d
IDAHO Reclamation Association, put the T"
ep and push and vigor into the sub a
set Of irrigation to such an extent as
lead 20 the organization of the West %
IN States Reclamation Association
nd the Northwestern States Associa- -
on aud numerous other organizations DC
hich have sprung up in the interest e'
Recismation so that today the sub SC
CT has become National affair. all sc
ON the ieaven of the Idaho Reclama
ON Association under the able man u
Rement of Major Reed. He has e
ade The whole nation believe In
Exclamation until It Is no longer con- nc
iered = local. or even a strictly west -'.-
n problem. His many friends be- Nj
No that the same talent which
rougbt this apparent miricle. would.
Secretary OF the Interior, be able br
convert this aroused public senti-
ant into the concrete form Of millions
acres Of waste land converted into Sal
oiuctive resources OK untold value
d cover them with homes and cities
fao'ories humming with human
lvitiee -