The Republican journal., 1908-07-23
The Nations Dependence Upon Nature


abstract Of Phi Beta Kappa oratloh OF
George Otis smith, Director u !; 5. Geolog
zeal Survey, at Colby College commence
ment ,.-
Alexander, caesar, ana Ndpoieon
sought to create empires by exactlns
tribute from their nelghnoIs. ASH
ington, Jefferson, ana Roosevelt nave
established nation ny the ueVelop-
ment OF It's own resources.
President Roosevelt otate papeio
nave again ana again coiltalileo SUI
ring Appeals 10 the la"-iilaheIs W nIahe
adequate provision JOE VAe coloel aVloii
OF the natlon naIuIaI iesouI w. Nv
other chitf executive Slnce w aoiliiis
ton has given equal prominence ~ IiltS
line OF practical sIattSLlaiishlp; 1 pe
lieye that tuIuIe historians VI" VIZ icy o ~
no greater achleVehtnU Oh heottolS e
Roosevelt than TINS: that III the uay ol
spectacular lndnstrlal ue'eIopniVh., d
time wien 1t Is aIl 700 easy W NC Vpll-
mistic and short-Slghleu' ne saw cleal
ly that Ame2ca's natural Wealth Is not
inexlaustlUle: ana SO NlVlltu Ihe rep
resentauves OF the sovereign states 10
meet III conference the chlel eSecullve
of tie sovereign natloh WIN the ue-
olared purpose OF taxing steps 10 pre-
serve for future NEEDS TIE naIloh hell-
tage.
My topic is one Whlch Snoule dppeal
to the patrlotlc scioidlSiilp VI oo! e,
just as the nalloli 5 Gail oi ileails nv!
years ago stirred 10 actlon lhe hlosI
talented Studenls OF inc coileSe. Oul
President we'll CONSIDERED appear III
this time OF peace should arouse tiie
new type OF PATRIOTISM no less IMAM dlo
Inc IT,
Votlon to the natlon. Inc preselic ISSUE
is as paramount as was tiiao OF looo'
though it may be one to winch the optl-
mist is better able to shut his eyes. 1t
was not frenZled alarmlst put nara
headed man of science VINO also wrote
that future historians VIII dale Ihe
end OF baTbarlsm from Lhe tlhe Wileh
generations began TO 1eel tlae they
rlghtfulIy Aad no more tlan llle-es-
tate in this sphere, with no rlgnt 10
squander the inheritance OF tnelr kllld.
The reform thaC is so soreiy neeueu
must gam It's motive power not from
the Well-lntentloned enthusiasm OF tne
few, but from the Well-ln1ormed lnteall-
gence OF the many. Inc campaign 1or
conservation must be one OF educatlon.
The | nlted States leads the "orlo IN
every important form. OF natural
wealth, whether 1t be the product OF
the farm or OF the nine. Our "heat
crop forms Il per cent. OF the Woflo
harvest our corn crop - per cent. ana
our cotton crop s. per cent. so, also,
IN the matter OF i've STOCK, our heIds,
and t1ockS comprise II per cent. OF the
worlds grand total. lake the more I'M
portant mlnerals,-our output OF coal
is ~ per cent. OF the WorlG S proauc-
ton, of copper % per cent. our iron ore
and OIL at least % per cent.
The increase III our per capita pro,
ductlon and consumption OF nalurai
resources perhaps furnishes the pesI
index OF the increasing dependence VI
the nation upon its natural resources.
At the outbreak of the ClVll war the
per capita consumption of coal in this
country was only little over one-hal1
ton; in 1900 it was about ; II tons; but
in 1907 the consumption had increased
to IL tons. In 1870 our per capita
consumption OF lumber was 2oo poard
feet; today 1t IS undoubtedly close 10
500 board feet. In 1910 our per capita
production of IRON ore was l6o pounds;
last year II exceeded nan ton. OIner
metals might be cited, where the In
crease has been great, as, Tor instance,
copper, which is hardly less useful than
iron and cement, of which the country
is just beginning to learn the use. The
mineral fuels, iron, copper, cement and
lumber, are simply the important let
tiers in the alphabet with which man
now spells industrial prosperity.
The most valuable of all natural re-
sources are water and soil. No more
attractive field for increasing the coun-
try's available wealth lies before us To-
day than that of determining the posi-
bilities of our rivers and streams. Here
we shall find the solution of the prob
lens of improved inland water trans
portation, successful agriculture, cheap
power development, and adequate pro-
lection from floods. The rivers OF
Maine now turn wheels that furnish a
total of somewhat more than 100000
horsepower and with proper storage
facilities the full development of her
water powers might yield 1900, 900
horsepower. This conservative estl-
of fine jmpOrfaOpp of Names