The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1908-05-22

just a. "any rirhi-shjnsins faiher' en-
deavors 10 lay a Foundation for the pro.
motion 81 the fortunes Of his son. 20
should This nation strive 10 build and save
for the nexr reneration-thls was the
keynote of PTssjilen: goos.velt's address
al the Opening al the conference en- the
conservation Of natural resources.
II the future is net wisely anticipated.
President Roosevelt, believes, he country
- 4 whole will safer greatly. Inasmleh
- IL In noe within the power Of The gov
ern men and of the people to begin q sane
and sensible program OF conservation. why
not do IL? The President enphas sized
these points strongly. He opened his
speech with a word Of welcome, and then
aid in part:
This conference on the conservation 81
natural resources IL Ia effect a meeting 81
the representatives OF ali tie people cf the
United States "a ted 10 consider the weight
lest p~roia~in now sefore the nsttan And
the occasion for the aaectins lies Ia the fact
that the natural resources az oar country
arr In danger ~ exhaustion IL we permit
tie old wasiefal methods Of exploiting them
lonser 10 eoEfinEe.
II Ii almost Impossible for NJ In this
49, w tNAtAaE kAffF 3AttAf VIII
ancestors knew Of the great store OF natural
Resources who's. discovery and use have been
such vital factors In the growth and great
ness Of sass natian. md how little they re
qHifeA ia rat~ from s.Is store In order to
satisfy their rev IS.
Since then e@s knowledge and use 81 the
Resources 81 the present territory OF the
tnitesi states have Increased . huDdredfo.i
Indeed. the groxsa Of this nation by
leaps AID hol.ds us k~s ore Of the most
~sfrisinr and snrorfan; chapters In the his
tory o. the waria.
Its growth nas been due To the rapid
Development. and ais. thar II should be
said. TO she ra9.i destruction. Of our nat
arai resources.
Nature has supplied 10 us In the United
states. and stiil supplies Ia us. more kirds
Of resources IN a more lavish degree than
LIS ever iVsn tee case at any other time or
with any otter peapte.
Oar position in the worle has been at.
fa.nef by the e-sen. and ti~to-oug.laess Of
tae control We have achieved over nature !.
hut we are more. a.d no. less. dependent
upon wsat she furnishes than at any pre-.
vious tine OF history since the Gays OF
primitive nan.
The wire use Of all OF our natural re-
sources, wasc1 are our national resources
- well, Is the great material question OF
today.
have asked you to come together now
because the eaorraous consumption of these
resources aad the threat Of imminent ex-
hausfion OF sorne Of them, due 70 reckless
and wssseful use. once more calls for com.
mon effort. common action.
Disresardlng for the moment the aues-
fion Of moral purpose, IL IL safe To say that
the prosperity Of our people derends directly
On the energy and Intelligence with which
cur natural resources are used.
IL Is equally clear that these resources are
the final basis of national power and per
pesuity. Finally. ii Is ominoasly evident
thar these resources are In the coarse of
rapid exhaustion.
This nation began with the belief tina. its
landed possessions we're illimitabie and
capable OF suppDsing all the people who
might care to make our country their home !.
but already the limit OF unsettled land l.
IN sight. and indeed but little land fitted
for agriculture now remains uroccapiei
save what can be reclaimed by irrigation
and drainage.
Timber Half Gone.
OF forests more team hah OF tie timber
is gone.
We began with coal fields more extern
efve than those OF any other nation and
and many experts now declare that the en-!
OF both iron and coal is In sight.
The mere increase IN our consumption
4 coal during f9o7 over 1906 exceeded the
.otai consumption In 1876, the centennial
year.
The enormous stores OF mineral oil and
gas are largely gone.
Our natural waterways are not gone, ba.
they have teen so injured by neglect, and
by the division OF responsibility ana utter
lack OF system in dealing with them. that
there Is less navigation on them DOW than
there was fifty years age.
Finally. we began with soils Of unex-
ampkpd fertility and we have so impoyer-
ished them by Injudicious use ana BY failing
to check erosion that their crop producing
power Is diminishing instead OF Increasing.
We have become great because OF the
lavish use Of our resources and We have
Just reason to be proud OF our growth.
Z But the time has come TO Inquire ser..
'ousiy what Will happen when our forests
are gone, when the coal, the iron. the oil.
and the gas are exhausted, when the soils
and washed into the streams. psrinsing the
rivers. dennding the neids. and ohstructine
navigation.
II 10 time for IN now as a nation 70
e~rescise the same reasonable foresight In
dealing with our great aatural resources
that would Be shown by any prudent mar
In conserving And widely using the prop
erty which contains the assurance Of wei.
being for himself and his children.
Cannot Renew Minerals.
The natural resources I have enumerated
can be divided into two sharply distinguish.
ed classes accordingly As they are or are
not capable Of renewal
~ ~ uSS1 ahIBt uCffSSaT4ly I've Px-
kausted- The minerals do not and cannot
renew themselves Therefore In dealing With
the coal. the oil, the gas. the Iron, the
metals generally, all that Ne can 40 IL to
try 70 see that they are wisely usrtf. The
exhaustion 10 certain TO come In time.
The second class OF resources consists
u those which can Tot only be used In such
manner ~ TO ienve them IN Ii diminished for
orr children, but can actually be improved
by wise use. The soil, tie foresss. the
waterways cone In this caireory.
In dealing with mineral resources. man
10 able 70 Improve on nature ealy By psf-
ting the resources To n beneficial use which
N the End exhausts them nut IN dealing
with the soil ana Its p-oc1rfs man can
Improve on nature by compelling the re-
sources to renew and even reconss ruct them.
selves In such manner a. TO serve increas-
ingiy beneficial use&-whsie the living
waters can be 20 controlled a. to multiply
their trneata.
Neither tie primitive man nor the pioneer
was aware Of any duty 10 poster.fy In deal.
inS with TIE able resources.
when the American settler feIied the
forests. he felt that there MSS plenty u
forest left for the sons Who came after him
When he exhausted the soil Of his Sam
he felt that his son coald 20 west and tAke
up another. 80 Il Was with bis In mediate
successors.
Wien the soil wash from ,be farmers
nei2s chcEed the n~'xhfo-srs river be
thoushs oniy o: 2ians the railway rather
plies
Now all s.is. Is changed. On TIRE aver.
age tie son Of the farmer OF 10 Oar rac.s
Eaake his living or bis fathers faxa.
There is 10 d.Mys.fy In do.r. sg.x If
the father Will exercise Wisdom. So wire