648 



CONSERVATION 



mistakes of Pinchot. Ten to one there is 

 concealed on his person a rebate or a pass 

 or a canned-beef sandwich or an option on 

 a Alontana water-power. Your corporation 

 lawyer, especially, is apt to tremble for the 

 liberties of the people. It is a pleasure to 

 hear his touching apotheosis of conserva- 

 tism. But as we dwelt by the ancient land- 

 marks the trusts enjoyed a freedom of ac- 

 tion to which, if we have good luck, the}^ 

 shall never be permitted to return. — Terrf 

 Haute (Ind.) Star. 



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The People for Conservation 



Two significant events have occurred 

 within the past few weeks. Two big as- 

 semblages have met — the National Irrigation 

 ■Congress, at Spokane, and the Trans- 

 Mississippi Congress, at Denver. Both are 

 almost wholly made up of volunteer mem- 

 l^ers. The men who go to them are assumed 

 to pay their own expenses. Almost anybody 

 who is willing to meet this condition can 

 get appointed as a delegate. And yet, two 

 great gatherings thus made up have declared 

 in strong terms for the conservation policies 

 that find their official representative in Gifford 

 Pinchot. * * * 



The power grabbers and the timber grab- 

 bers have been liberally represented at these 

 congresses. Their attorneys have spoken 

 from the floor, and men affiliated with them 

 have worn the badges of delegates. This 

 was to be expected. The men who are 

 grabbing power rights and public lands and 

 public privileges stand to make millions if 

 the conservation policy is reversed. They 

 have already made millions by Secretary 

 Ballinger's act in restoring to private entry 

 the 186,000,000 acres of lands that President 

 Roosevelt withdrew for protection of public 

 rights. Therefore, they can afford to pay the 

 expenses of men to attend congresses and 

 vote and talk in a way to create the im- 

 pression that public sentiment approves the 

 grab-all policy. 



When these facts are remembered it sig- 

 nifies much that these gatherings have stood 

 strongly for public interest. It shows the 

 overwhelming sentiment of the people in 

 favor of the men and the policies that re- 

 serve our forests and our coal and our 

 water-powers for the benefit of the public. — 

 .San Francisco (Cal.) Examiner. 



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Disposing of Natural Resources 



There seems to be a steadfast attitude of 

 the people in the Ballinger-Pinchot contro- 

 versy, and it is with Pinchot, not for any 

 personal or political reasons, but on the main 

 proposition, that under no circumstances is a 

 franchise to be given to a person, corpora- 

 tion, or trust, that involves the bestowal in 

 perpetuity or a long series of years of any 



of the public domain or natural resources. 

 The public lands may be distributed in 

 small homesteads for tillage, but everything 

 else should be reserved for the use of the 

 people. 



It is this view of the case that contributes 

 to the popular faith in Pinchot. * * * jf 

 there is anythjig public judgment is against, 

 it is the granting of perpetual franchises, of 

 either a corporeal or incorporeal character, 

 to anj^body. Whatever benefit there is in 

 whatever this country possesses must be left 

 for the people's use. — CohDiibus (Ohio) State 

 Journal. 



i^ ^ ^ 



Heirs and Testators 



Heirs often disappoint the testator's hopes. 

 In Mr. Taft's case, the testator is still alive 

 and he may find it easy to revoke his be- 

 quests. It is said that on his return from 

 wandering abroad Mr. Roosevelt will land 

 at San Francisco. If Mr. Taft does not 

 make good on his western trip we are likely 

 to see Mr. Roosevelt crossing- the continent 

 with the West behind him. — Moody's Maga- 

 zine, September. 



^ ^ ^ 



Seeing the Point 



The President was greatly impressed with 

 his trip through the irrigated desert districts 

 of Colorado, and he is more firmly resolved 

 than ever to find a way in the next Con- 

 gress of legalizing the projects that have 

 been halted by Secretary Ballinger. 



The President was especially impressed 

 with the possibility for good that is to come 

 from the completion of the Gunnison Tunnel. 

 The Colorado people were hot on his trail 

 to get him to make a definite promise in 

 regard to the completion of the big work 

 that has been held up near Grand Junction, 

 but the best the President would do was to 

 promise to take it under consideration and do 

 his best. — Nezv York Journal. 



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Pardee on the Letter 



Referring to the President's letter to Sec- 

 retary Ballinger, former Governor Pardee 

 said : 



"At the Irrigation Congress I read a copy 

 of a letter approved by Secretary Ballinger 

 and directing that over 4,000.000 acres of 

 land previously withdrawn by Garfield to 

 save power sites from being grabbed should 

 be restored to entry. This was but one of 

 the several similar orders approved by Sec- 

 retary Ballinger. The President mentions 

 but one order of Ballinger's, restoring to en- 

 try only 1,500,000 acres, and says this order 

 of restoration was upon a recommendation of 

 the Reclamation Service. 



'T have seen documentary evidence that 

 the Reclamation Service argued with Secre- 

 tary Ballinger against the restoration order 



