Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-21
ROOSEVELT AGAIN TELLS
HIS VIEWS ON RATE ISSUE


ests is vital to the welfare of every
country China and Mediterranean
countries offer examples of the terrible
effect of deforestation upon the physi-
cal geography, and therefore ultimately
upon the national well-being, of the
nations. One of the most obvious du-
ties which our generation owes to the
generations that are to come after us
lis to preserve. the existing forests. The
prime difference between civilized and
uncivilized peopes is that in civilized
peoples each generation works not
only for its own weil-being, but for
the well-being of the generations yet
unborn, and If we permit the natural
resources of this land to be destroyed
SO that we hand over to our children a
heritage diminished in value We there
by prove our unfitness to stand in the
forefront of civilized peoples.
A Great Heritage.
"One of the greatest of those
heritages Is or forest wealth.
1t is the upper attitudes of the
forested mountains that are
most valuable to the nation as whole,
especially because Of their effects upon
the water supply. Neither state nor
nation can afford to turn these noun
tains over to the unrestrained greed
of those who would exploit, them at the
expense Of the future. We cannot af-
ford to wait longer before assuming
control, in the. interest of the public,
of these forests; for if we do wait, the
vested interests of private parties in
them may become so strongly in
trenched that it may be most serious
as we'll as a most expensive task to
GUST them. If the eastern states are
wise, then from the bay of Fundy to
the gulf We will see. within the next
few Years a policy set On foot similar to
that so fortunately carried out in the
high Sierras of the west by the nation
al government. ALI the higher Appala-
chians should be reserved either by
the states or by the nation | much
prefer that they should be put under
national control, but it is a mere tru-
is INTO say that they will not be re-
served either by the states or by the
nation unless you people of the south
show strong interest therein.
Defense Against Floods.
"Such reserves would be a paying
Investment, not only in protection to
many interests, but in (, dollars and
cents to the government. The import
ance to the southern people of pro-
| tecting the southern mountain forests
| Is obvious. These forests are the best
defense against the foods which, in
| the recent past, have, during a sin
gle twelyemonth, destroyed property
valued at nearly twice what it would
cost to buy the Southern Appalachian
reserve. The maintenance of your
southern water powers is not less i'm.
portaLt than the prevention of floods,
because If they are injured your man
ufaeturing interests will suffer with
them. The perpetuation of your for
ests. which have done SO much for
the south, should be one of the first
objects Of your public men. The two
senators from North Carolina have
taken an honorable part in this move
ment. But do not think that the
people of North, Carolina or of any
other Southern state, have quite grasp
ed the Importance of this movement
to the commercial development and
prosperity of the south
THE position of honor in your pa
rade today is held by the confederate
veterans. They by their deeds reflect
credit upon their descendants and up
on all Americans, both because they
did their duty in war and because
they did their duty in peace. Now if
the young men, their sons, will not
only prove that they possess the same
power of fealty to an ideal but will
also show the efficiency in the ranks
of Industrial life that their fathers
the confederate veterans, showed that
they possessed in the ranks of war
the industrial future of this great and
typically American commonwealth is
assured.
Industrial Development.
"The extraordinary development of
industrialism during the last half cen.
fury has been due to several causes
but above all to the revolution in the
methods of transportation and com.
munication; that is, to steam and tc
electricity to the railroad and the tel
egraph.
When this government was found
ed commerce was carried on by essen
TALLY the same instruments that haC
been in use not only among civilized
but among barbarian, nations, ever
since history dawned; that is, BY
:! wheeled vehicles drawn by animals
by pack trains and by sailing ships ant
rowboats. On land this meant that
commerce went in slow, cumberous
and expensive fashion over highways
open to all. Normally these highways
could not compete with water trans
portation, if such was feasible be
tween the connecting, points.
All this has been changed by the
development of the railroads. Sove
on the ocean or on lakes SO large
as to be practically inland seas, trans
port by water has wholly lost its
old position of superiority over trans
port By land, while instead of the ole
| highways open to everyone on the
same terms but of very limited use