leader who
has been guilty of wrongdoing. I stand for equal justice to both; and so
far as in my power lies I shall uphold justice, whether the man accused
of guilt has behind him the wealthiest corporation, the greatest
aggregations of riches in the country, or whether he has behind him the
most influential labor organizations in the country."

It should be recorded for the sake of avoiding misapprehension that
Roosevelt's denunciation of Moyer and Haywood was not based on the
assumption that they were guilty of the death of the murdered' Governor,
but was predicated on their general attitude and conduct in the
industrial conflicts in the mining fields.

The criticisms of Roosevelt because of his actions in the complex
relations of capital and labor were often puerile. For instance, he
was sternly taken to task on one or two occasions because he had labor
leaders lunch with him at the White House. He replied to one of his
critics with this statement of his position: "While I am President I
wish the labor man to feel that he has the same right of access to me
that the capitalist has; that the doors swing open as easily to the
wageworker as to the head of a big corporation--AND NO EASIER."

CHAPTER IX. RECLAMATION AND CONSERVATION

The first message of President Roosevelt to Congress contained these
words: "The forest and water problems are perhaps the most vital
internal questions of the United States." At that moment, on December 3,
1901, the impulse was given that was to add to the American vocabulary
two new words, "reclamation" and "conservation," that was to create two
great constructive movements for the preservation, the increase, and
the utilization of natural resources, and that was to establish a new
relationship on the part of the Federal Government to the nation's
natural wealth.

Reclamation and conservation had this in common: the purpose of both was
the intelligent and efficient utilization of the natural resources
of the country for the benefit of the people of the country. But
they differed in one respect, and with conspicuous practical effects.
Reclamation, which meant the spending of public moneys to render fertile
and usable arid lands hitherto deemed worthless, trod on no one's toes.
It took from no one anything that he had; it interfered with no one's
enjoyment of benefits which it was not in the public interest that he
should continue to enjoy unchecked. It was therefore popular from the