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TR was born to wealth and great privilege but he acted on his belief in "the greatest good, for the greatest number." He stated that he would never have become the President of the United States if he had not gone west to the Dakotas to ranch and to hunt in the early 1880s. It was there that the wealthy New York dandy and Ivy League graduate learned first-hand about hard physical work and its rewards.

In two terms as president (1901-1909) TR not only talked his talk but also, as we say, walked the walk. He set aside 230 million acres of public lands and established numerous national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges and monuments. Today, the majority of the 230 million acres is open to the public for hunting and fishing. They belong to every American.

In TRs time, as now, true conservationists faced tough opposition from those who wanted to exploit lands to their commercial advantage. TRs vision of clean water, sustainable forests, good habitats for fish and wildlife, and places and opportunities for average men and women to hunt, fish, camp and hike was under constant attack.

In 1908, members of Congress finally succeeded in passing a bill that curtailed TR from establishing any additional "forest reserves."

Left with only eight days before he had to sign the bill, TR summoned his Forest Service chief, Gifford Pinchot, to the White House. They worked day and night and President Roosevelt established twenty-one new forests totaling 16 million acres, by executive order, before signing the legislation. Referred to as the "midnight forests" they stand as a testament to his tenacity and commitment to conservation.

There is little doubt that, were he alive today, Theodore Roosevelt would be leading the charge to do what the partnerships mission states: guarantee us all a place to hunt and fish. And surely he would be asking us to take an active role in helping decide the nations future course.

The presidential election of 2004 is over, but the IBEW remains committed to the goal of protecting and extending Americas open spaces to hunt, fish, camp, hike and boat. When our goal comes in conflict with either the current administration or entrenched corporate interests, we hope to summon the courage that exemplified President Theodore Roosevelt and speak up for "the greatest good for the greatest number."

By joining the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, IBEW members can be an active part of this effort. Its free and its easy: just call toll free 1-877-770-8722 or log on to www.trcp.org. And when you do your name will be entered into the "Ultimate Outdoors Package" Give-a-way. The winner will receive a new Ruger Rifle, a Bushnell Optics package, $500 BASS fishing setup and Drake hunting clothes.

"To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very property which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed."

Theodore Roosevelt

www.trcp.org

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