New-York tribune., 1907-10-05

Improvement of navigation may be- it is only
one of many ends TO be kept in view. The de-
mand for navigation is hardly more pressing
than the demands for reclaiming lands by lrrI-
cation in the arid regions and by drainage in the
humid lowlands for utilizing the water power
/ now running TO waste or Tor PURIFYING '7 IILT
waters so as to reduce remove the tax of SOIL
waste, to promote manufactures and safeguard
life. 1t is the part of wisdom TO adopt not
tumble OF unrelated plans, but a single ccmpre-
hensive scheme for meeting all the demands SO
far as possible at the same time and by the
, same means. This is the reason why the Inland
Waterways Commission was created in March
last. largely in response to petitions from cit
iZens of the interior, including many OF the
members of this congress. Broad instructions
We're given to the commission in accordance
with this general policy that plan should be
prepared for the use of any stream for a single
purpose without carefully considering, and so
far as practicable actually providing for, the use
of that stream for every other purpose Plans
for navigation and power should provide with
special care for sites and terminals not only
for the immediate present but also for the fut-
ure. 1t is because of my conviction in these
matters that | am here. The Inland Waterways
Commission has a task broader than the consid-
Grafton of waterways alone. There is an init
mat relation between our streams and the devel-
opment and conservation of all the other great
permanent sources of wealth. 1t is not possible
rlghtly to consider the one without the other
No study Of the problem of the waterways could
hope to be successful which failed to consider
also the remaining factors in the great problem
of conserving all our resources. Accordingly. L
have asked the Waterways Commission to take
account of the orderly development and con-
servation not alone of the waters. but also of
the soil the forests. the mines and all the other
resources of our country
Many of these resources which we have been
in the habit of calling ineXhaustibe are being
rapidly exhausted. or in certain regions have
actually disappeared. Coal mines, oil and gas
fields and iron mines In important numbers are
already worked out. The coal and oil measures
which remain are passing rapidly, or have actu-
ally passed. into the possession of great cor
porationS, who acquire ominOus power through
an unchecked control of these prime necessities
Of modern lfe-a control without supervision of
any kind. We consuming our forests three
times faster than they are being reproduced.
Some Of the richest timber lands of this con-
tinent have already been destroyed and not re-
placed, and other vast areas on the verge OF
destruction. Yet forests, unlike mines. be
so handled to yield the best results of use
without exhaustion. just like grain fields.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Our public lands. whose highest use is TO sup
ply homes for people, have been and are
still being taken in great quantities by large
private owners. TO whom home making Is at
the very best but a secondary motive subor-
dinate to the desire for profit. To allow the
public lands to be worked by the tenants OF
rich men for the profit of the landlords. instead
OF by freeholders for the livelihood OF their
wives and children, is little less than a crime
against our people and Institutions The
great central fact of the public land situation.
the Public Lands Commission well said, is
that the amount of public land patented by the
government 10 individuals is increasing out of
all proportion TO the number of new homes. 1t
Is clear beyond peradventure that natural
resources have been and are stlll being abused
that continued abuse will destroy them. and that
we have at last reached the forks Of the road.
We face to face with the great fact that the
whole future of the nation is directly at stake
in the momentous decision which is forced upon
us. Shall continue the waste and destruc-
ton OF our natural resources or shall con-
serve them? There is no other question Of equal
gravity now before the nation.
1t is the plain duty of those OF who for
the moment responsible 10 make inventory
OF the natural resources which have been
handed down to us. TO forecast we'll
may the needs of the future. and to handle
the great resources Of our prosperity not to
destroy in advance all hope for the prosperity
of our descendants.
AS / have said elsewhere the conservation Of
natural resources is the fundamental problem.
Unless we solve that problem II Will avail us
little TO solve all others. To solve il the whole
nation must undertake the task through their
organizations and associations, through the men
whom they have made specially responsible for
the welfare Of the several states. and finally
through Congress and the Executive. As pre-
limInary step the Inland Waterways Commits
sion has decided. with my full approval, to call
a conference the conservation of natural re-
meet in Washington during the coming winter.
This conference ought 10 be among the most
important gatherings in our history, for none
have had a more vital question 20 consider.
CANAL AND MONROE DOCTRINE.
There is a great national project already un-
der way which renders the Improvement OF the
Mississippi River and its tributaries specially
needful. l mean the Panama Canal. The dig
gng Of that canal will be of benefit 10 the whole
country, but most Of all to the states of the
Pacific slope and the Gulf. and If the Mississippi
is properly improved. 10 the states through
which it flows. The digging of the Panama
Canal is the greatest engineering feat which has
yet been attempted on this globe The work
has been going on most successfully and with
fewer drawbacks and difficulties than had dared
hope When, under treaty with Panama
we took possession of the canal zone | was con-
hdent that we should be able to build the canal,
but took It for granted that should meet
many unexpected difficulties not only in the
actual work but through and because of the dis |
eases which had made the isthmus byword of
unhealthfulness. The work done in making the
conditions the isthmus healthfuI, however has |
been successful that at present the death
rate among the thousands OF Americans en-
gagged in the canal work is lower than in most |
localities in The United States The organlza- |
tion has been perfected, the machinery installed |
and the actual work Of the dredges the steam
shoVels and the dirt trains is going on with con-
stantly increasing rapidity and effectiveness In
the month Of August over twelve thousand cubic |
yards OF material removed, chiefly from
the Culebra cut-the record removal-and If this |
rate can be kept up, / believe Ii will be kent !
up, the work Of digging will be through in half |
a dozen years The finishing of the locks of |
the great dam may take little longer, but 1t be-
gins 10 look as though the work will be COM |
pleted even sooner than had estimated
Remember, gentlemen. that any work like this |
entails grave responsibilities. The one intol-
erable position for self-respecting nation. as |
for a self-respectng man, is 10 hluff and then |
not be able TO make good. We have accented |
the Monroe Doctrine as a cardinal feature of our
foreign policy We have undertaken not only /
to build but to police and to guard the Panama |
Canal. This means, unless willing to |
accept the humiliation of being treated some |
time by some strong nation vain and weak |
braggart, that we must build and maintain our |
navy at the highest point of efficiency. When |
the canal is finished navy can move from |
one ocean to the other at WILL for remember |
that our doors open on both oceans. Until then |
our battle fleet, which should always be kept |
and maneuvred unit ought to appear |
in our home waters in one ocean and now to
appear in home waters In the other. And |
oh! my friends and fellow Americans. I most |
hope all our people will remember that
in the fundamental questions most deeply affect