Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-04-20

crops.
Water Power and Lands.
The development of water power will
be one of the most vital subjects of
discussion. The delegates will make
forecast of the future demand for
power. particularly considering the
probable electrification of railways and
the electric propulsion of water craft
They will sum up the economies which
can be brought about by the develop
ment of water power for electricity
particularly as to the saving of fuels.
Turning to the land resources, the
delegates will be shown how soil is be-
ing impoverished by improper cultiva-
ton. and especially by erosion. This
matter of erosion will be gone into very
deeply. Not only will the direct loss
to agriculture be explained loss
which runs to more than $o000O0000
annually in this country-but the dele
gates will consider the indirect losses
due to the securing of channels. the
deposition of debris on bottom lands.
the building of sand bars and the di-
version of streams
The means of prevention of soil ero-
sion will be gone into briefly. and this
will lead to discussion Of forests, The
wood famine. already upon the coun-
try, will be graphically presented, and
as bearing upon the necessity for for
est conservation and reforestation. the
conference will consider the beneficial
effects of forest on the soil stream
flow. ground water. the purity and vol
ume of rivers. and indirectly on navi-
cation. Sanitation will have an inning
because of the dependence of public
health upon community water supplies
These supplies, it will be shown, would
he benefited very materially by
; waterway improvement. by control of
forests and by proper cultivation of the
soil Irrigation and the drainage of
overflow and swampy lands will be
considered with reference to their in
f1uence on navigation, production and
population.
The land laws will claim attention.
The purpose will be to show that prop
err legislation can be made to play a
large part in conserving natural re-
sources. The way to do this. it will
be pointed out. is to encourage small
freeholds. Grazing and stock raising
w
The program calls for full discus
sion of the coal problem. Estimates
will be provided on the probable dura-
ton of the coal supply. based upon
present methods of mining and of use.
The delegates will go into the present
wasteful method of mining. by which
large quantities of coal are left in the
ground and covered with cave-ins
They will consider how the supply can
be made to last longer by improved
methods of mining. and by more eco
nomical use. They will be shown the
intimate connection between the coal
business and the transportation BUSH
ness. as affecting the price, rate of out
put and the exhaustion of the fields.
And they will consider how the coal
supply can be conserved by the sub
stitution of water power for fuel pow
er. of water carriage for rail carriage,
and of gas motors for steam engines.
Carnegie to Talk Minerals.
Mr. Carnegies address will go into
the mineral production of the country
The relation between production and
price of minerals will be discussed,
and estimates will be given of the
dNdlldUle quetulllN, pioSPSSeiNS VS. VI
production, prospective prices, and the
duration of the supply. Improved
methods of mining will be considered,
with their effect upon the reduction of
waste. The delegates will also dis
cuss the probable consequence of the
exhaustion of the standard minerals,
such as iron, copper and gold.
Finally, the conference, in the light
of this information and discussion Will
consider the unity of American inter-
ests as to the conservation of natural
resources and to the interdependence of
industries. They will consider the
probabilities of natural development,
and will make such forecast as is
possible of the future population. pro-
duction commerce and wealth of the
country. This will lead them to take
such action as seems proper. looking
to conservation, and to the creation OF
, instrumentalities for working out any
plans which they may adopt.
Just what the plan will be is to be
left to the governors themselves
They will decide on this after they
have fully discussed the question with
the leading experts of the country, who
will be present. the cabinet. the por-
ton of the supreme court the repre-
sentatives of the national organiza-
tions present and the inland water
| ways commission. Some have sug-
gested that great national organiza-
ton may grow out of the approaching
i conference, but nobody can tell lust
what these big men of the country may
decide to do until they have met and
discussed the question from all its
sides.