The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1908-05-22
PRESIDENT MlG@TS CONSERVATION SPEECH


tenn Of waterways on the rariac. Atlantic.
and gu'f coasts and In the Mississippi Val.
lsy. from the great plains to the Ale
mouth Of the mighty father Of waters.
bat al these various uses Of our nat
nrai resources are 50 closely connected that
.hry should be co-ordinsted. and should BE-
treated a. part Of one coherent piaa ana
rot IN haphaxard and piecrmeai fashion.
we are cosnins 10 recognize NJ never Be.
fcre the right OF the nation to guard its
own future In the essential matter Of nat.
ufal resources
In the past We have admitted the right
o. The Individual 10 injnre the future OF
ne repusitc Tor his own present prort- The
time has come for q change.
As . people we have the right and the
duty. second 10 noae other bat the rirht
ana duty OF obeytng the moral law. Of re-
curing and doing Justice, to protect our
se.ses and our children against the waste
M development Of our natural resources.
whether that waste il caused by the actual
obstruction OF such resources or by making
them impossible OF development hereafter.
Dasy to Next G-eneratis..
Any right thinking father earnestly DE-
ssres and strives to leave his son both an
unfarnfShed name and Z reasonable enuip-
raent Tor the struggle OF life. 20 this
nation as q whole should earnestly desire
the national honor nnstain~f ana the ma
ttonaI resources unexhauxtcd. There are
siSns that both the nation and the states
are waking to q realization Of this great
truth.
On March 10. 1908. the Supreme Court
or Maine rendered an exceedingly important
judicial decision.
This opinion was rendered IN response
Is,u aees to %rs., r. to thu the fisni. Of &, the s.., lss =.
private land for the prevention OF drouxhts
and foods. the preservation OF the natural
water supply. and the prevention OF the
erosion OF such lands, and the consequent
niilng up OF rivers. ponds, and lakes.
The forests and water power OF Maine
constitute the larger part Of her wealth
and form the basis Of her Industrial life.
Senate TO the Supreme Court and the an
swer OF the supreme Court alike hear tes-
tfmony TO the wisdom Of the people Of
Maine, aud clearly define a policy Of con-
tion Of which Is OF vital Importance NO.
merely to Maine but to the whole coun-
try.
sach a policy will preserve soil. for
children and the children's children Of the
men and women Of this generation for any
enactment that provides for the wise utiiiza-
tion OF the forests, whether In public or
private ownership. and for the conserva-
ton of the water resources Of the country,
must necessarily be legislation that will
promote both private and public welfare:
FOR food prevention. water power develop
nfeut. pTeseENAtIOu OF tHe 9oIl. ana improve
ment Of navigahle rivers are all promoted
BY such . policy Of forest conservation.
Community First.
The opinion of the Maine Supreme bench
sets forth unequivocaily the principle that
subordinate to the rights OF the commun
ity. and especially that the waste OF wild
timber land derived originally from the
State. Involving as 1t would the impover-
iShrrpnt of the State and tfa nAonlp and
thereby defeating one great purpose of gov
ernment. may properly be prevented by
State restrictions.
The court says that there are two rea.
sons why the right Of the public to control
sna init the use OF private property is
Peculiarly applicable to property in land
First. such property is not the result
from the state Itself. the original owner:
second. the amount OF land being incapable
Of increase. II the owners Of large tracts
striction. the State and Its people may b
helplessly impoverished and one great pur-
pose Of government defeated.
We do not think proposed legislation
wrnld operate to take private property
within the Inhibition Of the constitution.
While 1t might restrict the owner Of
wild and uncultfvated lands In his use Of
them. might delay his taking some Of the
product. might delay HIS anticipated profits
and even thereby might cause him some
loss of profit. IL would nevertheless leave
him his lands. their product and Increase,
untouched. and without diminution Of title,
estate. or quantity.
Tile would still have large measure OF
control and large opportunity to realize
values. He might suffer delay but not
deprivation.
The proposed legislation would be with
In the legislative power and would not
operate as a taking Of private property
for which compensation must be made"
The Court Of Errors and Appeals Of
NAu- Iorxar has a<rpto . {u.nnp ELAN
which has recently been sustained by the
Supreme Court OF the United States.
state Has Rights.
on April 8. 1908. Justice Holmes said:
The State a. quasi sovereign and rep
reSentativc OF the interests Of the public
has a standing In court to protect the at
its territory. irrespective Of the assent or
dissent OF the private owners Of the land
most Immediately concerned.
1T appears to MS that few public in
terests are more obvious, indisputable and
independent Of particular theory than the
interest OF the public OF q State to main
tain the rivers that are wholly within IL
substantially undiminished, excsp t by such
drafts upon them as the guardian OF the
public welfare may permit for the purpose
Of turning them TO q more perfect use.
This public interest is omnipresent
wherever there is 2 state. and grows more
"a sra no e&V"
" are OF opinion. further. that the
constitutional power OF the State 10 insis.
that Ifs natural advantages shall remain
animrairei by its citizens is not dependent
upon any nice estimate Of the extent OF
present use or speculation a. to future
needs
The legal conception Of the necessary
IL apt TO be confined to somewhat rudi-
racafary wants. and there are benefits from
q great river that might escape . lawyers
view.
sBut the state Is not required to submit
ever 10 an esthettc analysis.
ANY analysis may be inadequate. IL
nnds Itself In possession Of what all ad-
mit to he . great pubic good. and what
i has Il may Keep and give - one . reason
These decisions reach the root Of the
Idea Of conservation Of our resources In
the Interests Of our people.
Finally. let IN emembef that the con-
servat!on Of onS natural resources, though
the gyavest problem Of to-day, II Jet but
part Of another and greater problem to
which this nation h not yet awake. bat to
which II will awake In time and with
which II must hereafter grappie II Il v to
ilve-.he problem Of national e1hciency. the
patriotic duty Of insur:nG the safety and
coz tin IA nee OF the nation.
When the people II the United States
consciously undertake to raise themselves
~ citizens. and the nation and the States
In their several spheres. to the highest
Pitch Of excellence In private, STATE, nd
national lice. and to Do this because II IL
tl,a eS~st ri al fhA duties ~ trfsn n trAnffumn