New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-14

meeting lies in the fact that the natural re
sources of our country are in danger OF eS-
hsustion if we permit the old wasteful melhoos
of exploiting them longer TO continue
With the rise of peoples from savagery 10
civilization and with the consequent growth III
the extent and variety of the needs OF the as-
eraxe man. there comes steadily increasing
growth of the amount demanded by this aver
age man from the actual resources OF the ceuh.
try Yet rather curiously, at the same time inc
average man is likely to lose his reanzauoh vi
this dependence upon nature.
Ssyaees and very primitive peoples geher,
eilv concern themselves only with superhciai
natural resources: with those which they oPtaih
from the actual surface of the groun l. ,e
peoples become little less primitive thelr IN
dr1sfries although in rude manner, are eN-
tended TO resources below the surface theh'
with what We call civilization and the extern
sion of knowledge, more resources come ihoo
use industries multiplied and foresight pc
gins become necessary and promihen, lac 5oI
in life Crops are cultivated. aninaals are uo
INVESTIGATED and metals are mastered.
PROGRESS MARKED BY DISCOVERY.
Every step of the progress of mankind Is
vra-leS hv the discovery and use of natural re-
sources previously unused. Without such pro,
9ressiye knowledge and utilization of natural
resources population could-no grow; nor IA
dustries multiply nor the hiooeil weaith ol t'io
earth be developed for the benefit OF lnanklhd-
From the first beginnings of CIVILIZATION on
the banks Of the Nile and the Euphrates the
industrial progress Of the world has gone on
whole steadily, through tens of centuries TO the
present day. But of late the rapldlty OF the
progress has increased at such rate that more
space has been actually covered during the
century and a quarter occupied by our national
life than during the preceding six thousand
years that take back TO the earliest monu-
,nents of Egypt. TO the earliest cities of the
When the founders OF this nation met at indie
pendence Hall in Philadelphia the conditions of
commerce had not fundamentally changed from
what they were when the Phpnician keels first
furrowed the lonely waters Of the Mediterra-
mean. The differences Were those of degree, not of
kind and they not in all cases even those
Of degree. Mining was carried on fundamentally
rs il had been carried by the Pharaohs in
the countries adjacent to the Red Sea
The of the merchants Of Boston OF
Charleston, like the wares Of the merchants or
Nineveh and Sidon II they went by water were
carried by boats propelled by sails or oars; II
they went by land were carried in wagons drawn
by beasts Of draft in packs on the backs of
beasts Of burden. The ships that crossed me
high seas better than the ships that had
crossed the lFgean. but they We're of the
same type, after al-they were wooden ships
propelled by sails; and on land the roads were
not as good the roaGs Of the Roman Empire,
white the service Of the posts was probably in
ferior.
In wsshington's time anthracite coal was
known only as a useless black stone; and the
great fields Of bicuminous coal were undiscov-
cred. AS steam was unknown. the use of coal
for power production was undreamed Of Water
was practically the only source of power. save
,he labor Of men and animals: and this power
WAS used only in the most primitive fashion
But few small iron deposits had been found
in this country. and the use of iron by coun-
frymen very small Wood was practically
the only fuel. and what lumber was sawed was
consumed locally, while the forests were re
rarded chiefly as Instructions to settlement and
cultivation.
Such was the degree ef progress TO which civ
ized mankind had attained when this nation
began its career. Ii is almost Impossible Tor US
in this day realize how little our Revolution
airy ancestors knew Of the great store OF natural
resources whose discovery and use have been
such vital factors in the growth and greatness
Of this nation. and how little they required to
take from this store in order. TO satisfy their
needs.
COST OF NATIONAL GROWTH.
Since then our knowledge and Of the
resources of the present territory of the United
States have increased a hundredfold. Indeed.
the growth of this nation by leaps and bounds
makes one of the most striking and important
chapters in the history Of the world. Its
growth has been due to the rapid development.
end alas. that il should be said, to the rapid
destruction OF our natural resources. Nature
has supplied to in the United States, and
still supplies 10 US more kinds Of resources in
a more lavish degree than has ever been the
case at any other time with any other people.
our rosition in the world has been attained by
the extent and thoroughness of the control we
have achieved over nature: but more.
and not less. dependent upon what she furnishes
than at any previous time OF history since. the
days Of primitive man.
= Yet our fathers, though they knew SO little