Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-06-20


the National Editorial association At the
exposition hero:
II IL OF course a mere trulsm to say that
no other body OF our counfrymsn WELD as
extensive an influence ms those who write
for the daily press and for the porlodi-
calls. II IL also a truism 20 say that
such power implies the gyavent respon-
sibility. and the man exercising Il should
hold himself accountable. and should be
held by others accountable. precisely an
II he occupied any other position OF pub
lie trust I do not intend 10 dwell upon
your duties to-day. save that I shall
permit myself 20 point out one matter
where Il seems TO me that the need OF
our people - vital II n essential that
the man In public life and the man who
writes IN the public press shall both OF
them. II they are really good servants
OF the people. be prompt 10 assail wrong
doing and wickedneBs. But In thus assail-
ing wrongdoing and wickcdneas. there
are two conditions 90 be fulfilled, because
~ unfuihlled. harm and not good will
result In the FIRST place. be sure of
your facts and avoid everything like
decent man for something OF which no
II Innocent n TO give aid and comfort TO
every scoundrel while indulgence In hys-
tericai exngEeration serves TO weaken,
not strengthen, the statement OF truth.
In the second place. be- sure that you
base your Judgment on conduct and not
on the social or economic position OF the
individual with whom you are dealing.
There are good and bad men In every
walk OF life. and their being good or bad
does not depend upon whether they have
or do not have large bank accounts. Yet
this elemental fact. this fact which We all
accept as ssif-evidenf. when We think
each Of us of the people whom he him
self knows In his buHiness and social
relations. IN often completely ignored by
certain public men and certain public
writer's. The men who thus ignore II
and who attack wickedness only when
found in a particular class are always
unsafe. and are sometimes very dan
gerouA. leaders. Distrust equally the
man who In never able TO discover any
Vices OF rich men to attack and the man
who confines himself 20 attacking the
sins and shortcomings OF rich men. Il
r. n sure sign OF moral and mental dis,
honesty in any man II in his public as
| Haults upon iniqulty no IL never able 20
see any iniquity save that OF particular
class; and this whether he ls able only to
see the crimes of arrogance and oppres-
| sion In the rich or the crimes OF envy
| and violence In the poor.
So much for what ! have TO say TO
| you in your capacity Of molders and
| guides Of public thought. In addition
K want TO speak TO you on two great
movements IN our public life which
| feel must necessarily occupy no incon-
siderable part OF the time OF our public
men In the near future. One OF these 10
the question OF, In certain ways. re-
shnping our system Of taxation 80 as 10
/ make Il bear most heavily on those most
capable OF supporting the strain. The
other Is the question OF utilizing the
| natural resources of the nation in the
way that will be OF most benent 70 the
nation a. = whole.
l NaarS ~ rsosn,IakK
In utilizing and conserving tho natural
resources OF the nation the ono charae'
teristic more essential than any other Is
foresight. Unfortunately. foresight Ia
| not usually characteristic OF a young and
| vigorous people, and II n obviously not
a marked characteristic OF US in tho
| United States. Yet assuredly Il should be
the growing nation with a future which
takes the long look ahead: and no other
nation is growing 30 rapidly as ours or
has future 20 fun of promise. No other
nation enjoys 30 wonderful a measure OF
present prosperity which can OF right
be treated as an earnest OF future sue
cess. and for no other are the rewards
OF foresight 10 great. 80 certain. and &C
easily soretoid. Yet hitherto AZ a nation
we have tended 10 live with an eye single
20 the present. ard have permitted the
reckless waste and destruction OF much
OF our natural wealth.
The conservation OF our natural re-
| sources and their proper use constitute
the fundamental problem which underlies
almost every other problem OF our ma,
tlonai life. Unless We meiBtain an ado
quate material basis for our civilization
we can not maintain the institutions Il
which we take 50 great and just a pride
and 10 waste and destroy our natura
resources means to undermine this ma
terlal basis. During the last ave year
efforts have been made In several new
directions in the government service 4
get our people 10 look ahead. 10 exercise
foresight. and to substitute planned an'
orderly development OF our resources II
Immediate profit The effort has beef
made through several agencies.
Ia 1903 the reclamation service begai
10 develop the larger opportunities OF cha
western half Of our country for irr3ga
ton. The work includes all the state
from the great piAlns through the Rock,
mountains TO the Pacific slope II ha
teen conducted with the clear and den
mite purpose Of using the valuable waite
resources Of the public land for IN
greatest good for the greatest number q
the long run; in other worea. for tn
purpose Of putting upon the land perma
| nent home makers who viii use an
develop u for themselves and for thel
. children and chlldren's children. Their
, hna bean opposition, OF course. 20 thi
work OF the reclamation service: for "
have been obliged - autaguniEe certai
J men whose interest 4 was 10 exhaust 70
. / their own temporary peraOnas profit mai
, urAi resources which ought 10 be devel
opcd through use. 10 AZ % be conserve
, for the permanent common advantage q
J the people az whole. But there viii b
no halt In the work of preserving tll
waters which head In the Rocky noun
tain region 70 az 10 make them OF moo
ube 70 the people aa a whole; for N
policy Is essential 70 ouE national VI
7 fare.
Operations Of Land Laws.
, Tho public lands Of the uniled stats
/ should be utilised IN similar fashion. Ou
4 present public land laws were passe
! when there was q vast snfpiua OF vacnT
public land The chief dealre was /
4 secure settlers thereon. and eompAratiyl
!. ~ slight Attention WA paid ~ 70 exaoil
how the lands were disposed of IN d
taiL In consequences. lax execution {
y the lava became tha rule Dolil Ia the Ian
> Once ana IN the public mind. aud Ian
i frauds u4ro NpInmpn and little note