The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-12
THE USE OF MATERIAL RE-
SOURCES.

THE USE OF MATERIAL RE-
SOURCES.
Hon. A. ]. Balfour struck at the root
of a great national evil of this country,
as well as of England, when he declared
in the course of speech at Cambridge
university that in the use of their mate
rial resources the English people were lit
tie better than brilliant spendthrifts.
The evil is of greater proportions in this
country because opportunities to be ex-
travagant are more in evidence. The ma
teria1 resources Of the United States are
never-ceasing cause for wonder on the
part of the European. 1t does not seem
that there will ever exist the imperative
need Of careful economy as a nation, yet
the spendthrift invariably reaches the
| condition where he has to stint himself,
Judgment and good management in their
expenditures if they wish to remain COM
Portable for any great length of time.
National extravaganza Is of course the
The material resources of the country are
in the keeping of the citizens as indi-
vidua1 property, but their use Of it is
bound to have weighty effect upon the
pie do not waste their RESOURCES now
when there is an abundance, but shape
their course SO as to have safe reserve
at all times. the amount Of abject poverty
is sure to be kept at minimum. Wide
spread pauperism weakens a nation, and
this is what waste of material resources
leads to.
Money is secondary resource; the pri-
mary resource is whatever makes posi-
BILE the earning of money, and the chief
primary resource is land. Included in this
are the material physical conditions
which lend to land its reliability as pro-
Queer. Our most dangerous extravaganza
Is in this direction. The earth yields an
abundance under present conditions, but
there are vital problems closely connect
ed with those conditions which are scarce
ly thought of today. The full stomach
makes US easy-gotng and careless. We
eat, drink and are merry, and give nc
thought to the morrow, course justified
only on the theory that we may die be-
fore the sun rises again. and that our
careless feasting can in no way deprive
our children of the same happy-go-lucky
nr1VileP0 RIlf there ho
cuse or justification for our waste of re-
sources. The generations to come must
depend upon them. and a sense of high
duty should beget caution and Judgment
In our use of what is placed In our keen
ing for a lifetime. We can make the
country less desirable for our children
| and grandchildren than it is for US now.
or we can lay the founda ton for the best
solidity and permanence. In other words,
we can be foolish, or we can be wise: we
can take from the material resources at
our disposal more than we need and
throw away what we take; we can in this
and other ways lessen the possible returns
from the national resources. and thus in
sure poverty where it would not other
wise exist. Or we can hold what we have
in trust and protect it, while enjoying an
abundance ourselves. That Is the only
true national economy. 1t requires brains,
self-restraint and good judgment, but it
makes great people and a great ma
ton. The man who is economical with
out being niggardly is a blessing not only
to himself and his contemporaries, but to
those who come after him and take UP
his tasks