374 
dent,  the  truth  as  usual  lies  between  these  extremes.  It  is  likely 
that  Mr.  Taft  believes  that  too  much  has  been  claimed  for  Con- 
servation, and  too  much  demanded  in  its  name.  He  may  think 
that  the  movement  has  grown  somewhat  too  rapidly  and  that  some 
pruning  is  necessary  in  order  that  the  final  growth  may  be  well 
balanced,  thoroughly  healthy  and  truly  vigorous.  As  an  experi- 
enced statesman  he  knows  that  progress  in  any  great  public  move- 
ment consists  in  a series  of  advances  and  recessions,  each  ad- 
vance being  greater  than  the  succeeding  recession,  and  an  im- 
provement over  the  preceding  advance  in  direction  and  vigor. 
It  may,  I think,  be  accepted  that  he  regards  his  function  in  rela- 
tion to  this  policy  like  his  function  in  relation  to  many  other  of 
the  Roosevelt  policies,  namely  that  of  placing  them  upon  a firm 
legal  basis.  He  is  essentially  a great  lawyer  and  a great  judge. 
Mr.  Roosevelt  is  essentially  a great  propagandist.  The  two  men 
are  close  friends  and  served  together  in  various  relations  through- 
out the  Roosevelt  regime.  Each  is  a man  of  vigorous  militant 
honesty,  with  a high  sense  of  justice  and  fair  dealing,  and  a high 
ideal  of  citizenship  and  statesmanship.  But  in  their  methods  of 
dealing  with  men  and  problems  they  are  wide  apart.  No  one, 
I believe,  recognizes  these  facts  mbre  clearly  than  the  men  them- 
selves. Mr.  Roosevelt  has  stated  that  he  believes  Mr.  Taft  the 
ideal  man  to  round  out  the  work  already  begun.  Mr.  Taft  has 
repeatedly  reiterated  his  belief  in  the  Roosevelt  policies.  We 
cannot  doubt  then  that  Mr.  Taft  will  endeavor  to  right  by  legal 
methods  the  inequalities  and  the  injustices  to  which  the  national 
attention  has  been  called  by  Mr.  Roosevelt  in  stirring  messages, 
that  were  received  with  popular  plaudits  but  fell  on  deaf  legisla- 
tive ears,  and  that  he  will  use  every  endeavor  to  have  translated 
into  statutes  the  many  strong  constructive  policies  enunciated  by 
Mr.  Roosevelt  and  advanced  through  their  preliminary  stages  by 
him,  in  some  cases  by  the  temporary  device  of  presidential  decree. 
Conservation  is  one  of  these  policies.  We  may  expect  to  see  it 
lopped  free  of  such  fads  and  impracticable  doctrines  as  have  been 
attached  to  it  by  false  or  unwise  friends  and  thus  improved  we 
have  every  reason  to  expect  that  it  will  receive  Mr.  Taft’s  vigor- 
ous and  effective  support.  Indeed,  many  practical  steps  are  now 
being  taken  in  a quiet  way  toward  the  enforcement  of  Conserva- 
tion principles.  I may  mention  one  striking  exam/ple  that  illus- 
trates the  tendency.  Coal  lands  that  form  part  of  the  public  do- 
main of  the  United  States  are  no  longer  sold  for  $1.25  per  acre, 
but  are  now  purchasable  only  at  a price  based  on  the  quality  of 
the  coal,  its  relation  to  transportation  and  its  estimated  tonnage. 
Under  this  policy,  maximum  prices  of  $300.00  per  acre  are  being 
paid  and  these  receipts  go  to  swell  the  Reclamation  fund.  This 
is  indeed  practical  Conservation,  and  conservation  of  this  type 
in  which  you  here  in  Hawaii  are  especially  interested,  and  in  the 
promulgation  of  which  under  the  leadership  of  your  Territorial 
