The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-10-12
WEALTH IS WASTED
RESOURCES OF NATION USED IN
PRODIGAL STYLE.
Government Expert Tells How
Fuel Supply of Country Is Be-
ing Exhausted, as Game and
Lumber Resources Have AL
ready Been Wasted.

VI Inc u6Cur0l resources OF the united
States is reported by ]. A. Holmes,
chief of the technologic branch of the
geological survey, who has just COM
pleted three months tour of inspec-
ton to ascertain conditions in the
West. Mr.. Holmes is an expert on
fuels and one Of the leading scientists
of the land. In connection with his
report on conditions as he found them,
he issues warning to the country
that waste must be stopped or exhaus-
ton of resources will result in COM
paratively short time.
Zone of the great national problems
is the conserving of fuel resources"
says Mr.. Holmes. SAT the present
rate of increase in consumption the
better part of the fuel supply of the
country will be gone at the end of the
present century, unless proper steps
are taken. The world recognizes
Americans as the most wasteful of peo-
Piles in the utilization of their resour-
ces. Certainly no nation received SO
rich an inheritance as did the United
States in its combination of soil and
forest resources.
Indifference Developed by Abundance
''Out of the very abundance of these
resources we have developed an indif-
ference to economy. We have des-
troyed our game for its hides and its
horns, our forests for their tanbark or
pittance of the lumber they would:
yield, and meanwhile, with thought
less Indifference, we have allowed for
est fires to burn more lumber than we
have used in the building of homes or
in the Industries.
"Water, the most valuable of all our
resources as source of power. is be-
ing wasted year after year to the ex-
tent of millions of horsepower. As
the essential factor in all irrigation, it
is being wasted by use to excess in
many instances, but on much larger
scale and to the value of hundreds Of
millions of dollars it is being allowed
to 60 to waste by not being used at all.
Exhausting Mineral Resources
"The exhaustion of mineral re-
sources is a permanent exhaustion.
One years wheat crop, when con-
sumed, is replaced by that of the sue
ceeding year. The forest resources of
one period, when exhausted under ia
vorable conditions, may be replaced
by a succeeding forest. A water sup
ply of one day or, of one period, under
favorable circumstances, may be coD-
tinued indefinitely by natures own
processes, but when deposit of coal.
or oil, or iron ore, or similar mineral
substances has been exhausted, this
exhaustion is permanent.
"The mineral resources of the coun-
try belong to the future as we'll as to
the present generations of men. They
should be used, not wasted. The cre-
alton of these deposits required thou
sands of millions of years. Their pres
emit so. called owners had no part in
the creation of resources and have no
real rights to them beyond present
urgent needs.
Wasting Birthright Of Future
"The fuel supplies of the country
will be sufficient for both present and
future needs if we stop their waste
and practice increasing efficiency in
their utilization. There can be no
suggestion looking to the curtailment
of present needs. These needs will in
crease in proportion as the nation
grows in population and in the extent
and diversity of it's industries. And
while the present generation has q
right to use the fuel which it actually
needs, it is bound by every principle
of right and justice not to waste but
to properly conserve the future use,
the birthright of the generations yet
unborn. We cannot continue this
enormous consumption of our fuel re-
sources and at the same time perpetu-
ate the supply of cheap fuels. The
only solution of the problem is that
we must use our fuels more efficiently
I'VE must stop this enormous waste. :"
Lumber Trust investigated