Arizona republican., 1920-09-01
HARDING FOR CONSERVATION COP. GOVERNORS MEET LEADER
Special to The Republican,


 MARION, Ohio, Aug. 3l--The idea developed in Arizona, and enthusiast ti- caliy adopted by the republican ma tional committee. that there should be q governors day at Marion and thus give senator Harding st fitting oppor = tun1ty to speak direct ly to the West on the subject of reclamation, and to the furtherance of which Governor Campbell had given much attention was today brought to splendid fruita- tion in one of the most notable events or the campaign. Some eighteen gov ernorS were in attendance and they with large audience of applaudfng citizens were addressed by Senator Harding in a carefully prepared and exceptionally forceful speech which throughout was an unqualified en- dorsement of the policy of national re- clamation
 The senator paid an eloquent tribute to Theodore Roosevelt for making re- clamation policy of the republican party. The speech throughout dis played the senator's remarkably inti- Hflfe knowledge of the whole subject his wide vision of the future of the West. his deep feeling of sympathy for western aspirations and his deter imitation if elected president to carry forward vigorously with the help of congress the great work of reclamation which Roosevelt set in motion and which has been halted during the Wilson administration. He was es- pecially forceful in his argument against that narrowness exhibited in some sections which would oppose fur ther reclamation of arid lands because of the supposed completion Of their products with the productions of older farming regions.
 He pointed out that it is duty of the government to furnish opportunities for the soldiers of the great war to find homes and to furnish opportunities for the young men whose fathers. follow ing the civil war found their great chance to found homes in the prairie states
 Roosevelt himself never made a more forward looking progressive speech nor a speech which sounded a higher note of lofty patriotism and of that national duty. it will be recalled by the older residents of Arizona that when Presi- dent Roosevelt led his party to adopt the policy of reclamation. 1t was after he had encountered the opposition of Uncle Joe Cannon. A notable incl dent following the close of Senator Harding's address was a hearty hand shake from Uncle Joe. who is now eighty-four years old, and who came over from DanvDle, Illinois especially to attend the meeting. Taking Hard ing's hand he said. Well Senator 1 Am With You"
 
 congratulated by every governor pres ent and their comment was that it was the profound speech of a. great statesman. Governor Lowdcn of Illi- nois, who made the presentation speech on behalf Cf the visiting governors. had made 3 strong point of the fact that in recent years the country had had much experience with the governments oper- ations, but experienced little cooper alton, and he expressed the confident hope that under President Harding-s administration. the several states would enjoy the cordial and helpful co- operation of the federal gOvernlnert. instead of a policy of federal boesing
 The informal staud-uD luncheon at the Harding residence which followed the speech, afforded an opportunity 10 learn from the several guest, their private opinions of the reclamation policy of Senator Harding, and the West may take comfort in the fact that the Harding policy has the un- qualified endorsement of every gov ernor present. nor can 1t be questioned that 1t was representative gathering of governors, states from Rhode Island 10 California being represented.
 The speech was so clearly the sincere expression of an honest man and was so unqualifiedly western in spirit and vision, that Governors Stephens of California and Campbell Of Arizona. and the former governor of t-tahf fWhO is the executive secretary of the West ern States Reclamation Association were enthusiastic in their approval