Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-05-20

our rivers so as 10 complete great
system of waterways on the PacaIic,
Atlantic. and Gulf coasts and in the
Mississippi Valley. from the great
plains to the Alleghenies and from th.
northern axes to the mouth of the
mighty Father of Matters But all
these various uses of our natural re-
sources are SO closely connected that
they should ecoordinated, and should
be treated as part OF one coherent
plan and not in haphazard and piece
cal f. lhion.
1T is largely because OF this" said
the president that l appointed the
waterways commission last year and
that l have sought to perpetuate It's
work. / wish TO take this opportunity
to express in heartiest fashion my ac.
know sdgment TO all the members OF
the commission. At great personal
sacrifice of time and effort they have
rendered a service to the pubic for
which We can not be too grateful. Es-
pecial credit it due to the Initiative.
the emery, the devotion to duty and
the farsightedness of Clifford Pinchot,
to whom we owe so much of the pro
gress we haze already made in hand
ling this matter of the coordination
and conservation of natural resources.
If it had not been for him this eonven-
ton neither would nor cou's have
been called
1--WE are coming to recognize as
never before the right of the nation
to guard its own future in the essen.
tial matter of natural resources. In
the past We have admitted the right
of the individual to injure the future
of the republic for his own present
profit The time has come for a
change AS a people we have the
right and duty, second to none other
but the right and duty of obeying the
mogaA law, of requiring and doing JUS
tice. to protect ourselves and our
children against the wssteful develop
ment of our natural resources, whether
that waste is caused by the actual
destruction of such resources Or by
making them impossible of develop
ment hereafter.
Amy right thinking father earnest 2
desires and strives to leave his son
both an untarnished name and rea-
sonable equipment for the struggle
of life. So this nation as whole
should earnestly desire and strive to
leave to the next generation the
national honor unstained and the
national resources unexhausted. There
are signs that both the nation and
the states are awaking toa realization
of this great truth On March 10,
1860. the supreme court of Maine rem
dered an exceedingly important judi
cial decision This opinion was rem
dered in response tn questions as TO
the right of the Legislature to restric.:
the cutting of trees on private land
for the prevention of droughts an!
foods, the preservation of the natural
water supply, and the prevention Of
1 the erosion of such lands, and the
consequent filling up of rivers, ponds,
/ and lakes. The forests and water
power Of Maine constitute the larger
part of her wealth and form the b isis
of her industrial life, and the quef lion
submitted by the Maine senate t the
supreme court and the answer II the
supreme court alike bear testim ny TO
1.-THE wisdom Of the people of lame,
and clearly define policy of conser.
walton of natural resources, the adop
ton of which Is of vital Importance
not me u y to Maine but to the whole
country.
President Roosevelt declared that
such policy will preserve soil, for
ests, water power as a heritage for the
children and the children's children Of
the men and women of this genera.
ton; for any enactment that provides
for the wise utilization of the forests.
whether in pGSMs or private owner.
ship. and for the conservation OF the
water resources Of the country, must
necessarily be legislation that viii
promote both private and public vel
fare; for food prevention, water
pewer development preservation of
the sol, and improvement of naviga'
BILE rivers are all promoted by such a
policy of forest conservation.
Finally" said the president let us
remember that the conservation Of our
natural resources. though the gravesl
lprob'em OF to-day, is yet but part Of
another and greater prob TO which
this nation Is not yet awake, but Il
which 1t will awake in time, ard with
which It must hereafter grapple IL II
lis to live--the problem Of national
efficiency, the patriotic duty Of insur
ing the safety and continuance of the
nation. When the people OF the
UNITED States consciously undertake
to raise themselves as citizens, and
the nation aud the states in theft
several spheres, TO the highest pitch
of excellence in private, state, and
national life, and to do this because
It is the first of all the dutie, II rue
patriotism. then and not til ,hgp the
future of this nation. in qualify and
In time. win be assured
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