The Washington herald., 1908-05-14

earliest monuments of Egypt 10 the
earliest cities Of the Babylonisn plain.
When the founders of this nation met
at Independence Hall in Philadelphia the
conditions OF commerce had not funda-
mentally changed from what they were
when the Phoenleian keels first furrowed
the lonely waters OF the Mediterranean.
The differences we're those of degree. not
of kind, and they were not in all cases
even those Of degree. Mining was carried
on fundamentally as 1t had been carried
on by the Pharaohs in the countries ada
cent TO the Red Sea
The wares of the merchants of Bos-
ton, of Charleston like the wares Of the
merchants of Nineveh and Sid0n. If they
went by water. were carried by boats pro-
PEELED by sails or oars; II they went by
land were carried In wagons drawn by
beasts of draft or IN packs on the backs
OF beasts of burden. The ships that
crossed the high seas were better than
the ships that had once crossed the
Aegean, but they were Of the same type,
after all-they were wooden ships pro-
PEELED by sails; and on land the roads
were not as good as the roads of the
Roman empire, while the service Of the
posts was probably inferior.
y Al
"In Washington's time. anthracite coal
was known only as a useless black stone;
and the great fields of bituminous coal
were undiscovered. As steam was un-
known, the use of coal for power produc-
ton was undreamed OF. Water was
practically the only source OF power, save
the labor Of men and animals; and this
power was used only in the most Rrimi-
tive fashion. But a few small iron depos-
its had been found in this country. and
the use of iron by our countrymen was
very small. Wood was practically the
only fuel. and what lumber was sawed
was consumed locally, while the forests
were regarded chiefly as Instructions 20
settlement and cultivation.
Such was the degree of progress TO
which civilized mankind had attained
when this nation began its career. It is
almost impossible for US in this day TO
realize how little our Revolutionary ances-
tors 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 10 take from this store In
order 10 satisfy their needs.
Since then our knowledge and use
OF the resources of the present terri
tory Of the United States have In
creased hundredfold. Indeed. the
growth Of this nation by leaps and
bounds makes one OF the most strik-
ing and important chapters In the
| history OF the world. It's growth
has been due to the rapid dey hop
/ ment, and alas! that it should be said,
/ TO the rapid destruction, of our
natural resources. Nature has sup
piled 10 us in the United States. ana
1 still supplies TO US. more kinds OF
| resources IN a more lavish degree than
| has ever been the case at any other
time or with any other people. Our
! position In the world has been attained
| by the extent and thoroughness Of
the control We have achieved over
nature but we are more, and not less,
dependent upon what she furnishes
than at any previous time Of history
since the days Of primitive man.
FOFethought of FOrefathers.
yet our fathers though they knew
SO little OF the resources Of the country
exercised a wise forethought in reference
/ thereto Washington clearly saw that the
perpetuity Of the States could only be Sc
/ cured by union, and that the only feas-
ible basis Of union was an economic one
in other words. that It must be based
on the development and use Of their