THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 331 



federal government parts with title to a power site it can not control 

 the action of the state in fulfilling the conditions of the deed, to which 

 it is answered that in the grant from the government there may be easily 

 inserted a condition specifying the terms upon which the state may part 

 with the temporary control of the water-power sites, and, indeed, the 

 water power, and providing for a forfeiture of the title to the water- 

 power sites in case the condition is not performed; and giving to the 

 president, in case of such violation of conditions, the power to declare 

 forfeiture and to direct proceedings to restore the central government 

 to the ownership of the power sites with all the improvements thereon, 

 and that these conditions may be promptly enforced and the land and 

 plants forfeited to the general government by suit of the United States 

 against the state, which is permissible under the constitution. 



I do not express an opinion upon the controversy thus made or a 

 preference as to the two methods of treating water-power sites. I shall 

 submit the matter to congress and urge that one or the other of the two 

 plans be adopted. 



At the risk of wearying my audience I have attempted to state as 

 succinctly as may be the questions of conservation as they apply to the 

 public domain of the government, the conditions to which they apply, 

 and the proposed solution of them. In the outset I alluded to the fact 

 that conservation had been made to include a great deal more than what 

 I have discussed here. Of course, as I have referred only to the public 

 domain of the federal government I have left untouched the wide field 

 of conservation with respect to which a heavy responsibility rests upon 

 the states and individuals as well. But I think it of the utmost impor- 

 tance that after the public attention has been roused to the necessity of 

 a change in our general policy to prevent waste and a selfish appropria- 

 tion to private and corporate purposes of what should be controlled for 

 the public benfit, those who urge conservation shall feel the necessity of 

 making clear how conservation can be practically carried out, and shall 

 propose specific methods and legal provisions and regulations to remedy 

 actual adverse conditions. 



I am bound to say that the time has come for a halt in general 

 rhapsodies over conservation, making the word mean every known good 

 in the world; for, after the public attention has been roused, such 

 appeals are of doubtful utility, and do not direct the public to the 

 specific course that the people should take, or have their legislators take, 

 in order to promote the cause of conservation. The rousing of emo- 

 tions on a subject like this, which has only dim outlines in the minds 

 of the people affected, after a while ceases to be useful, and the whole 

 movement will, if promoted on these lines, die for want of practical 

 direction and of demonstration to the people that practical reforms are 

 intended. 



