Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-14

NZHZs3Fxz!SZ1xSECNS tSEEEES4GEEX
declare that the end of both iron and
coal is in sight.
The Conditions Today.
The mere increase in our consump-
ton of coal during 1907 over 1906 ex-
ceeded the total consumption in 1876,
the centennial year. The enormous
stores of mineral oil and gas are
largely gone. Our natural waterways
are not gone, but they have been so
injured by neglect and by the divis-
ion of responsibility and utter lack
of system in dealing with them, that
there is less navigation on them now
than there was fifty years ago. Final
ly, we began with soils of unexampled
fertility and we have SO impoverished
them by injudicious use and by failing
to check erosion that their crop pro-
ducing power is diminishing instead
Of increasing. In word, we have
thoughtlessly, and to large degree
unnecessarily, diminished the res
sources upon which not only our pros
perity, but the prosperity of our chill
dren, must always depend.
We have become great because of
the lavish use of our resources and
we have just reason to be proud of
our growth. But the time has come to
inquire seriously what will happen
when our forests are gone, when the
coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are
exhausted, when the soils shall have
been still further impoverished and
washed into the streams, polluting the
ri nd no
structing navigation. These questions
or to the next generation. 1t is time
for us now as nation to exercise
the same reasonable foresight in deal
ing with our great natural resources
that would be shown by any prodent
man in conserving and widely using
the property which contains the as
surance of well-being for himself and
his children.
Resources In Two Classes.
The natural resources 1 have enum-
Grated can be divided into two sharp
ly distinguished classes accordingly
as they are or are not capable of re-
newal Mines if used must necessarily
| be exhausted The minerals do not
and can not renew themselves. There
fore, indicating with the coal, the oil,
the gas, the iron, the metals general
ly, all that we do is to try to see that
they are wisely used The exhaustion
is certain to come in time
The second class Of resources con-
sists of those which can not only be
used in such manner as to leave them
undiminished for our children, but
can actually be improved by wise use
The soil, the forests, the waterways,
come in this category. In dealing with
mineral resources, man is able to i'm
prove on nature only by putting the
resources to beneficial use which in
the end exhausts them; but in dealing
with the soil and it's products man
can improve on nature by compelling
the resources to renew and ever re-
construct themselves in such manner
as to serve increasingly beneficial
uses-while the living waters can be
SO controlled as to multiply their ben
efts.
Neither the primitive man nor the
pioneer was aware of any duty to pos
terity in dealing with the renewable
resources. When the American settler
felled the forests. he felt that there
| oOih1
who came after him.
When be exhausted the soil of his
farm be felt that his son could &C
west and take up another. So it was
with his immediate successors. When
choked the neighboring river he
thought only Of using the railway
rather than boats for moving. his pro
duce and supplies.
How to Conserve Resources.
Now all this is changed. On the
average the son of the farmer of to
day must make his living on his faith
er's farm There is no difficulty ir
doing this il the father will exercise
wisdom No wise use of farm ex
hausts its fertility So with the for
ests. We are over the verge Of {
timber famine in this country, and i
is objectionable for the Nation or the
States to permit any further cutting
, of our timber save in accordance will
a system which will provide that The
next generation shall see the timbe
increased instead of diminished. More
over, we can add enormous tracts o
the most valuable possible agricul
: tural land to the national domain b.
Z irrigation in the arid and semi-arid re
gions and by drainage Of great tract
r of swamp land in the semi-humid re
gions. We can enormously increase ou
: transportation facilities by the cana
/ ization of our rivers SO as to CON
plete great system of waterways O.
. the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coast
: and In the Mississippi Valley. fror
r the Great Plains to the Alleghenie
s and from the northern lakes to tn
' mouth Of the mighty Father of Waters
sss-------.-.