Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-09

Its work being strictly National and II
no sense sectional, merits and should re.
ceive the support of our citizens.
l thank ali these organizations. The re,
be laid before the present conference by
the National Conservation Commission;
shall not attempt TO review these results sui
ing facts brought out at the Conference
last May were confirmed.
These facts are sobering. No right
minded citizen wC,fld stop the proper use
of our resources. but every good Ameri-
can must realize that National lmproyi-
dence follows the same course ana leads
to the same end as personal lmprovldenME,s, M,s
and that needless waste mast stop. Inc
time to deride or neglect the statements
of experts and the teaching OF the 1acts
has gone by. The time to act on what
We know has now arrived: Common pru-
dence. COMMON sense, and common husl,
ness priiit iples are applicable to Nationai
affairs just as they are to private anairs.
and the time has come to use tneif IN
dealinc with tie foundations of bur
prosperity. .ro
ticnal in depicting our eohei.ion ea,sH securitv
based on conditions long since passed
away to prevent us from seeing inc Iacts
and applying business ,c conanon rsa sense ,ro TO
pose of the inventory. was to give the
facts-not to create alarm. but to take
stock Of what we have. and SO 70 ieao 10
the necessary dclIOii loi 'eo P'N"N' ',N''
Our national resources are so related
that the use of one affects the use Oh az
of the others. This Is especiaiiy .rue nd u1
child within our borders has an interest," IN
them. through navigation. power. HJi,,
gation. or water supply; or tnrougm az,
four. We have neglected our waterways
more than any ctker natural resource INC Ino
we must put an end to that neglect. Ins
Inland Waterways Commission mas 'olo
us how. o,,o,s;,,o
nlan for inland waterway development
along the lines pointed out BY the Solli- aI
mission. Such r,an AN mHst y nI,st ronSo1 nut the
interests of all the people in advance OF
any private interests whatsoever 1n ne
of this comprehensive !'lah
should begin at once ,.,.<,, ,,,;t,
Second let ,ls proceed Immediately WITH
the construction of the waterways Ior
" hich plans have already been Al nPPtoEietn, at it
tie outlines of the general plan. Our
previous policy of nrocrastination. deiay,
and fitful and partial action. mas C nofne me
its perfect fruit n Uur f"r Matu our vast eSpen-
ditures we have little or no actual navl-
cation to show The people are ready 1or
change Let us hay have frdn IT. ana rrrent a ev rev
erues let us do so. If not let us ISSUE
bonds BY either method, let rs nIhe
thr waterways and that =, quickly; ashalIi nroa mme
ceed together While the work We are
sure of is being begun, the plan 1or the
rest can be prepared. , ,>oo;, .+
The work therefore should pGelh az
once. But there must not be the slighteSt
or waste OF money. no "'i
whatever should be undertaken that mas
not been thoroughly examined ara iuliy
ar proved by competent experts. Apote
satisfy special interests, whether or
business or locality. or or, p pr;omtote, Q; t ,gs any
a matter to be handled in snch sue ,a;rt way "
view of the National interest under the
guidance of the wisest experts. i'll en$i-
neering, in transportation, and IN all tne
lses Of our streams. Forests ana wafer
ways carnot be separated IL any y,sotect;on
and river development must go hand IN
1and. The three things which srou,d pc
lone without any futher delay are lHele-
lore: First to provide ,ne derclopment deT sT Sec
slammed that vii, surely fit into the lalg-
" plan. Third, to provide amply Ior loi-
,st protection against hre; asaroSt recl.less es
destruction of all kinds; and TO secure
he Apralachian and White Mountain
National Forests without delay.
The Joint meeting brought togelher
he members of the consultation COM
nittee and their helpers, the delegates
n the great Southern commercial con-
yress. the members of the rivers ana
,arbors congress and others interested
n working out comprehensive plan
'or making the most of the lands min
rails. forests and waters that belong
o the public domain of the Ur'tcd
states.