Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-14


able, that Of water. Further conferences
were arranged. first at Annapolis and then
at Philadelphia. It was in Philadelphia
that the representatives OF all the states
met for what was in its original concep-
tion merely a waterways conference; but
when they had closed their deliberations
the outcome was the constitution which
made the states into nation.
Need of n ConstitutiOn.
'-rhe constitution Of the United States
thus grew i'm large part out Of the neces-
sity for united action in the wise use OF
one of our natural resources. The wise
use of all Of our natural resources, which
are our national resources as well, is the
great material question Of today. 1 have
asked you to come together now because
the enormous consumption Of these re-
sources and the threat OF imminent eK-
haustion of some of them, due to reckless
and wasteful use. once more calls for COM
mon effort, common action.
Since the days when the constitution
was adopted steam and electricity have
revolutionized the Industrial world. No
where has the revolution been so great as
in our own country. The discovery and
utilization Of mineral fuels and alloys have
given us the lead over all other nations in
the production of steel. The discovery and
utilization of coal and iron have given us
our railways and have led to such indus
trial development as has never before been
seen. The vast wealth of lumber in our
forests, the riches of our soils and mines
the discovery of gold and mineral oils,
combined with the efficiency of our trans
portation, have made the conditions Of our
life unparalleled in comfort and conven-
ieuce.
1.-THE steadily increasing drain on these
natural resources has promoted to an ex-
traordinary degree the complexity Of our
industrial and social life. Moreover, this
unexampled development has had deter
mining effect upon the character and opin-
ions Of our people The demand for eff
cheney in the great task has given us
vigor, effectiveness, decision and power and
a capacity for achievement which in its
own lines has never yet been matched. So
great and so rapid has been our material
growth that there has been tendency
TO lag behind IN spiritual and moral
growth but that is not the subject upon
which 1 speak to you today.
Prosperity and Intelligence.
''Disregarding for the moment the ques-
tion of moral purpose, it is safe to say
that the prosperity of our people depends
directly on the energy and intelligence with
which our national resources are used. II
is equally clear that these resources are
the final basis of national power and per-
petuity. Finally, it is ominously evident
that these resources are in the course of
rapid exhaustion. .-..-.
This nation began with sthe belief that
its landed possessions were illimitable and
capable of supporting all the people who
might care to make our country their home;
but already the limit Of unsettled land is
in sight and, indeed, but little land fitted
for agriculture now remains unoccupied
save what can be reclaimed by irrigation
and drainage. We began with an unap-
preached heritage of forests; more than
half of the timber is gone We began with
coal fields more extensive than those of
any other nation and with iron ores re-
garded as inexhaustible and many experts
now declare that the end of both iron and
coal is in sight.
"The mere increase in our consumption
of coal during 1907 over 1906 exceeded
the total consumption in 1876 the Gem
tennal year The enormous stores OF
mineral oil and gas are largely gone. Our
natural waterways are not gone, but they
have been so injured by neglect, and by
the division of responsibility and utter
lack of system In dealing with them, that
there is less navigation on them now than
there was fifty years ago. Finally, we
began with soils Of unexampled fertility
and we have so Impoverished them by
injudicious use and by failing to check
erosion that their crop producing power
is diminishing instead Of increasing. In g
word, we have thoughtlessly, and to a
large degree unnecessarily, diminished the
resources upon which not only our pros.
perity but the prosperity of our children
must always depend.
Time to Take Accounting.
I'VE have become great because Of the
lavish use of our resources and we have
| just reason to be proud of our growth
But the time has come to inquire seriously
what will happen when our forests arc
gone, when the coal, the iron, the oil, and
the gas are exhausted. when the soils shal
have been still further Impoverished ant
| washed into the streams, polluting tn,
rivers, depuding the fields, and obstruct
| ing navigation. These questions do no
relate only to the next century or to the
next generation. II is time for us now a.
| a nation to exercise the same reasona biz
foresight in dealing with our great natura
resources that would be shown by any
prudent man in conserving and widely
using the property which contains the as
sursnce Of well-being for himself and hi
| children
'Srhe natural resources 1 have enumer
ated can be divided into two sharply dis
tinguished classes accordingly as they ar,
or are not capable Of renewal. Mines /
used must necessarily be exhausted. Th
minerals do not and can not renew them
selves. Therefore in dealing with the coal
the oil, the gas, the iron. the metals gen
orally. all that we can do is to try to SCI
that they are wisely used The exhaustion
is certain to come in time.
THE second class of resources consists o
those which cannot only be used in sucl
manner as to leave them undiminished fo
our children, but can actually be improved
by wise use. The soil, the forests tn
waterways come in this category. In deal
ing with mineral resources man is able t
| improve on nature only by putting the re
sources to a beneficial use which In the en-,
exhausts them; but in dealing with tn
soil and its products man can improve OF
nature by compelling the resources to re
new and even reconstruct themselves II
such manner as to serve increasingly bene
fetal uses-while the living waters can b
| to nj, hanafife