The Washington times., 1908-12-09

and coal lands lay uninproved and un-
wanted, because they We're not needed;
hold OF by ths foresighted. when the
supply was apparently inexhaustible.
and now, when We are faced with nat
ural poverty unless something Is done
Immediately.
Went for a Song.
In the early history of the United
States. the report declared. coal lands.
iron lands. forests. could be had for a
song. but nobody wanted them. Instead
Of commanding high values, they were
not worth as much as tillable soil. This
condition became reversed, and far
sighted individuals grasped them to an
almost unbelievable extent, and built up
great interests almost TO the point of
monopoly
Forfeits were devastated as a useless
scourge Waters and our water supply
were absolutely neglected and wasted
through the waste Of the forests. Coal
and mineral resources were wantolly
wasted The supply taken out Of the
mines and used was but One-third Of
what was usable. making two-thirds
waste. This has been going on and on
and only now IS there a possibility OF
making a check through the action Of
the President in creating this congress-
which viii sway public sentiment
our lallQS ana lOTEHA8 are lUlNIONdDlbp
the report continued. and our water
supply is subject TO natural renewal.
but the coal and mineral resources are
not renewable and once they are eX-
hausted they are gone forever The
waste varies. ana the principal causes
are the uncontrolled flow of natural gas
and OIL abandoned coal in the mines.
forest fires, waste in the use Of plant
and animal life. There is great loss and
waste through the Perpetuation OF
poor strain Of stock and plant life. This,
too, is true OF human life.
Figures Startling.
The report gave the inventory OF re-
sources in dollars and tons, the amount
Of loss in usage, and the amount Of loss
in waste. These figures were all of un-
believable proportions. For instance,
the annual loss Of natural gas. the best
known illuminant, ran into the trilliOn
cubic feet. or enough TO light all the
cities Of the country, and this waste
was far in excess OF the millions o.
cubic feet actually used. Another start
ling statement in the report was that
but l per cent OF coal was actually used
in generating electric power. The an
nual loss through forest fires. Is near
ly $4,000. coo
The loss Of mine workers is appalling,
says the report, and some preventive
measures should be adopted. Human
life, says the report, is one of our greaS-
est resources.
We now supply food stuns for the
whole world in great quantities, but the
report estimates that our population
viii increase three fold in the next cen
tury and it will be difficult to feed the
people in the United States on full crops
from the present lands There are 1900
square miles Of abandoned farms in the
United States, all abandoned, because
Of poor soil. This soil was made poor
through imprOvident waste of woodland,
and consequent erosion.
Length of Life
Public lands should be CLASSIFIED. the
report urges, as mineral, forest. farm,
and natural beauty. Beauty lands
should be preserved intact for all the
people. TIllable land should be allowed
TO pass only into the hands OF home
seekers. Forest land should be admin
istered for the benefit OF the entire pop
ulation. as should also mineral lands.
No private interest should be allowed 10
exploit them.
The growth of timber is but 100000
cubic feet a year. the amount used and
wasted Is 25,OOO,OOO cubic feet The for
ests must be preserved to keep an even
climate. a permanent water supply, a
tillable soil and for use. The fresh
water supply is also being used up,
according 10 the report, and this, too,
should be conserved Enough water is
being wasted to create power to supply
every single want In the United States,
for any purpose.
One Of the most startling findings and
recOmmendatiOns Of the report, was
citizens of the United States Life and
health are, according TO the report. the
greatest or all national assets, and the
race should be improved.
Classify Lands.
The average length OF life in the
United States could and should be in
creased fifteen years, and this eIonga-
ton Of life, counting an individual as
worth but 500 a year. about the small
est earning capacity for the average.
would net s1.500,OOO,O0O a year. To fur
ther Improve the race and increase the
span Of life, the report strongly recon-
mends the restriction OF woman and
cnlld labor all over the country. Tho
report recommends the buildinf, nm ~ a
slrong national health organization To
l'"' ps'l llculaf attention to tuberculosis (
Flint Reads Report.
The report Of the mineral section ~
the Conservation Commission. as rea5
by Senator Flint, Of California. was in
part as follows:
The inventory OF the mineral re-
sources of the United States which the
section Of minerals of the National
Conservation Commission. under the
chairmanshiD Of Representative John
Dalzell OF Pennsylvania, has made dur
ing the summer and fall is a long list
OF waning supplies. This was shown |
by the report of the section before |
the joint conservation conference.
which summarizes the figures Of the |
copntry's mineral wealth.
The waste in the mining and treat |
ment OF mineral substances during a /
year is equivalent to more than 5000
100000. The available and easiIv ac- |
cessible supplies of coal in the United |
states aggregate approximately l.
f63 ,S00,OO0,000 tons. At the present |
increasing rate of production this sup |
ply will be so depleted as TO approach |
exhaustion before the middle of the |
next century.
The known supplies of petroleum nat
Gral gas, and high-grade phosphate rock
can not be expected, according 10 the |
estimate in the report, to last much be- |
Nond the middle of the present century.