The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-15
Startling Facts Submitted a;
to Soil Waste andFor.
est Depletion.
In NOTABLE SPEECH
HILL POINTS DANGER
Great Railroad Builder Shows.
How Rapidly Our Resources
Are Being Exhausted, and
Urges Remedies-Glenn
Scores Against Con-
federation.

wv > ASHrNGToN, D. c., May IL
NV/ Startling was the warning
N" sounded to-day at the con-
ference of Governors at the
White House OF the danger
the nation confronts in soil waste and
forest depletion. The Governors list.
ened and talked and applauded, but
took no action. This Is left for to-
morrow. the last day OF the confer.
lence. and plan is afoot to have the
prepared speeches for that day printed
in the record without reading, in order
that the time may be devoted wholly
to results. The resolutions committee
was In session all day. and Will report
in the morning.
a supplementary meeting OF a nun.
ber of Governors followed the days
session, and a committee. consisting
of the Governors Of Kentucky. Missouri
and Nebraska, was appointed to bring
In suggestion. for permanent orr
ganization OF Governors, independent
perhaps Of any other Organization
which may be formed by the confer
ence.
The President opened the mornina
and afternoon sessions, which werf
johnson, of Minnesota. and Governor
Address OF Mr.. Hill.
James ]. Hill. of the Great Northern
who led a long list Of speakers. treated
the depletion of the nations resources
in serious and Impressive way. H4
presented conditions respecting mineral,
soil and forest showing wanton waste
in each instance. and drew a picture
of political chaos when all were gone
wherein the people would tear down
the very pillars yf government. Mr.
Hill believed such results could and
should be avoided by prompt action.
In some respects the occasion thai.
calls together this assemblage is un-
The dignsy aad ssti past
and advisers mark its Importance. II
is in effectaa directors meeting Of this
great political and economic corporai; a.
| America. The stockholders are ths
| S7.OOO.oo0 people OF this country: ths
directors are the state and Federal
in touch with the operation Of thu
Whole country We should not fail'tas
recognize the high note that has been
terests tel M involved W upon the lives Of the
The two-fold significance Of this
novs is tauna sapeet IL the =
the method by which it has been ap-
preached. The subject is, the c2nser-
vation Of our national wealth and
careful study of our national economic
| resources. 95s
Forests Being Depleted.
After quoting Professor shalssr's
statement that Americans are me
greatest MASTERS of mans inheritance
! on earth, Mr.. Hill said: 5
| If we fail to consider what we pos
| sess of wealth available for the uses
of mankind. and to what extent we
are wasting. a national patrilnony that
| can never be restored. <,We. might be
ilikened to the directors OF a COM
sheet. phnS WAo Aesei
| fixed From the sea, the nine the for
| est and the soil must be gathered
everything that can sustain the life
OF Upon the Wsaeh ha nsss
progress but his continued existence
| on earth. How stands the inventory Of
rcsoufces Of the sea furnish less than
5 per cent OF the food SUPPLY. and
that is all The forests of this coun--s
are fast disappearing. The best estt.s
mates reckon our standing merchanta-s
| Bile timber 1T less than 1000 900, ,ooo ,oo0$
feet fee our annual cut Is anoIt IL 4o,Goy- tro,,
/ llsoOO,O0O, 900 feet in 1850 to "a 90 o.0oo,-
1000 feet IN 1905; that Is, It nearly
doubled in twentyntlve II. Y are re-
measure of timber per capita, as
Eagainst IN average Of sixty feet for
all Europe The New Englqnd a,s SUI
small growths that would have been
rejected by the lumberman thirty years
Eago. The South has reached It's max
ans n tha paesc esgs sasst only
there now any considerable body Of
merchantable standing timber. We are
consuming yearly three or four times
fstores. Dur supply of some varieties
awill be practically exhausted In ten
or twelve Years; In the case Of others.
tury will SEQ the end. When will we
take up In q practical and Intelligent
/ Way the restoration of our forests?
Il Coal aud IRON.
| The exhaustion of our coal supply
lis not in the Indefinite future. The
1 tlon Is not 50 much the magnitude Of
1.-THE annual output as its rate OF growth.
/ For the decade ending II in !, i. 1898 the
(which Is almost exactly one-half the
total product previously mined In this
Econntrs, For the year 1906 the outs
Eof % psr cent. on ne average, annual
Iyielu OF 4 he ten years preceding IN
1907 ON production reached ~ 1000 ,0o0s
tons Fifty years ago the annaa! nv psn
than one-quarter OF a ton Il IS now
about five tons. ~ Our me thodS
i not only prohibit our industries from
having recourse to the coal supplies
\ OF other countries, but actually pride
! ourselves upon becoming exporters OF
4 a prime necessity of life and an es-
l sential of civilization.
The iron Industry tells a similar
4 story The total OF iron ore mined In
,Fthe United States doubles about once
lin seven years. It Was less than L.,
I 600, 900 tons IN 1898, over 2f,eoo,ooo tons
/ in lsa9, 47si4o o,o00. tons IN 1905 and over
|, of iron in the worlds life Is the most
I impressive phenomenon of the last CEN
1 tury, In 1870 the pig iron pr reduction
T57 tons, or about so pounds per cap-
! ita, Our production now Is over 500 h
pounds lpers capita. ,Ms do not wofIe