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。 Individuals and private companies had bought for a song great tracts of national property； getting thereby； it might be； the title to mineral deposits worth fabulous sums； and these persons were naturally angry at being deprived of the immense fortunes which they had counted on for themselves。 A company would buy up an entire watershed； and control； for its private profit； the water…supply of a region。 Roosevelt insisted with indisputable logic that the States and Counties ought them selves to own such natural resources and derive an income from them。 So； too； were the areas restored to man's habitation； and to agriculture； by irrigation； and by reforesting。 A company； having no object but its own enrichment； would ruthlessly cut down a thousand square miles of timber in order to convert it into wood pulp for paper； or into lumber for building； and the region thus devastated； as if a German army had been over it； would be left without regard to the effect on the climate and the water supply of the surrounding country。 Surely this was wrong。
It seems to me as needless now to argue in behalf of Roosevelt's legislation for the conservation of national resources as to argue against cannibalism as a practice fit for civilized men。 That lawyers of repute and Congressmen of reputation should have done their utmost； as late as 1906； to obstruct and defeat the passage of the Meat Inspection Bill must seem incredible to persons of average sanity and conscience。 If any of those obstructionists still live； they do not boast of their performance； nor is it likely that their children will exult over this part of the paternal record。
In order not to exaggerate Roosevelt's importance in these fundamental reforms； I would repeat that he did not originate the idea of many of them。 He gladly took his cue for conservation from Gifford Pinchot； and for reclamation from F。 H。 Newell； as I have said； the need of inspecting the packing…houses which exported meat； from Senator A。 J。 Beveridge； and so on。 The vital fact is that these projects got form and vigor and publicity； and were pushed through Congress； only after Roosevelt took them up。 His opponents； the packers； the land…robbers； the mine…grabbers； the wood…pulp pirates； fought him at every point。 They appealed to the old law to discredit and damn the new。 They gave him no quarter； and he asked for none because he was bent on securing justice； irrespective of persons or private interests。 It followed； of course； that they watched eagerly for any slip which might wreck him； and they thought they had found their chance in 1907。
That was a year of financial upheaval； almost of panic； the blame for which the Big Interests tried to fasten on the President。 It resulted； they said； from his attack on Capital and the Corporations。 A special incident gave plausibility to some of their bitter criticism。 Messrs。 Gary and Frick； of the United States Steel Corporation； called on the President； and told him that the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company was on the verge of bankruptcy； and that； if it went under； a general panic would probably ensue。 To prevent this financial disaster； their Corporation was willing to buy up enough of the Tennessee Company to save it； but they wished to know whether the President would allow the purchase。 He told them that he could not officially advise them to take the action proposed； but that he did not regard it as a public duty of his to raise any objection。 They made the purchase； and the total amount of their holdings in the Tennessee Company did not equal in value what they had originally held； for the stock had greatly shrunk。 The Attorney…General subsequently informed the President that he saw no reason to prosecute the United States Steel Corporation。 But the President's enemies did not spare their criticism。 They circulated grave suspicions； they hinted that； if the whole truth were known； Roosevelt would be embarrassed； to say the least。 What had become of his pretended impartiality when he allowed one of the great Trusts to do； with impunity； that which others were prosecuted for？ The public； which seldom has the knowledge； or the information； necessary for understanding business or financial complexities； usually remarks； with the archaic sapience of a Greek chorus； 〃There must be some fire where there is so much smoke。〃 But the public interest was never seriously roused over the Tennessee Coal and Iron affair； and； six years later； when a United States District Court handed down a verdict in which this matter was referred to； the public had almost forgotten what it was all about。
The great result from Roosevelt's battle for conservation； which I believe will glorify him； in the future； to heroic proportions as a statesman； is that where he found wide stretches of desert he left fertile States； that he saved from destruction； that he seized from the hands of the spoilers rivers and valleys which belonged to the people； and that he kept for the people mineral lands of untold value。 Nor did he work for material and sanitary prosperity alone； but he worked also for Beauty。 He reserved as National Parks for the use and delight of men and women forever some of the most beautiful regions in the United States； and the support he gave to these causes urged them forward after he ceased to be President。
CHAPTER XVI。 THE SQUARE DEAL IN ACTION
Having seen briefly how President Roosevelt dealt with Capital； let us look even more briefly at his dealings with Labor。 I think that he took the deepest personal satisfaction in fighting the criminal rich and the soulless corporations； because he regarded them not only as lawbreakers； malefactors of great wealth； but as despicably mean； in that they used their power to oppress the poor and helpless classes。 The Labor groups when they burst out into violence merely responded to the passion which men naturally feel at injustice and at suffering； to their violence they did not add slyness or legal deceits。 But Roosevelt had no toleration for the Labor demagogue； for the walking delegate； and all similar parasites； who preyed upon the working classes for their own profit； and fomented the irritation of Labor and Capital。
Stronger； however； than his sympathy for any individual； and especially for those who suffered without redress； was his love of justice。 This he put in a phrase which he invented and made current； a phrase which everybody could understand： 〃the labor unions shall have a square deal； and the corporations shall have a square deal。〃 At another time he expressed the same idea； by saying that the rich man should have justice； and that the poor man should have justice； and that no man should have more or less。
Time soon brought a test for his devotion to social justice。 In the summer of 1902 the coal…miners of Pennsylvania stopped working。 Early in September the public awoke with a start to the realization that a coal famine threatened the country。 In the Eastern States； in New York； and Pennsylvania； and in some of the Middle Western States； a calamity threatened； which would be quite as terrible as the invasion of an enemy's army。 For not only would lack of fuel cause incalculable hardship and distress