The Detroit times., 1908-05-14

and delegates.
II was compelled to bring this com
mission into existence myself. said
the president II asked congress to-
appropriate a sufficient amount OF
money for that purpose. Congress
did not see 1T TO do SO. Now have
asked congress for a sufficient sum or
money to perpetuate the inland water
ways commission IL Congress does
not appropriate the money. | will per-
PetHate the commissions fH yseifs --
Cheers and Applause.
The president was interrupted by
the cheers and applause which greet
ed his frank avowal OF defiance. As
soon as IL had subsidized the president
added:
"Of course Il would be better for
congress to act, but II II does not
will"
The scene OF the gathering was the
east room OF the White House. Along
the east wall was a combined frame
work and platform So feet long and
10 feet nigh, artistically covered with
green velvet, trimmed with gold ropes.
The framework afforded a setting for
two giant maps of the United States,
each colored to show the various re-
sources OF the country. The gov
ernors occupied the seats of honor
| lust In front OF the platform. The
other confrerees and delegates were
seated in the order Of arrival.
The president first outlined the pur-
poses of the conference, calling atten-
ton TO the fact that the conservation
OF the country's natural resources IL
"the weightiest problem now before
the nation" and that the resources are
In danger OF exhaustion II the old,
wasteful methods OF exploiting them
are permitted longer TO continue.
He said that OF late the worlds In
dustrial progress has increased at
such a rate that more space has actu-
ally been covered during the century
and a quarter covered by the national
life than during the preceding 5000
years OF the time OF the earliest monu-
ments of Egypt.
The president points out that when
this nation began its career, the at
tanned degree OF the progress OF man
kind, as regards commerce, had not
fundamentally changed since the day
when the Phoenecian keels first FUR
rowed the lonely waters OF the Medl'
terranean Since then, adds the presi-
dent, our knowledge and use OF the
resources OF the present territory or
the United States has increased hun
dredfold.
Nature" said the president, has
supplied TO us in the United States,
and still supplies 10 us, more kinds OF
resources In a more lavish degree
than has ever been the case at any
other time or with any other people.
Our position In the world has been
attained by the extent and thorough
ness of the control We have achieved
over nature: but we are more, and not
less, dependent upon what she fur.
nishes than at any previous time OF
history since the days OF primitive
man.
Yet our fathers, though they knew
so little OF the resources OF the couh-
try exercised wise forethought In
reference thereto. Washington clearly
saw that the perpetuity OF the states
could only be secured by union. ana
that the only feasible basis or union
was an economic one.
Accordingly, he helped to outline
scheme OF commercial development.
and by his influence an interstate
WATERWAYS commission was appointed
by Virginia and Maryland.
IL met near where We are now
meetins,. in Alexandria, adjourned 20
| sideration OF Interstate commerce by
the only means then available that OF
water. Further conferences We're al.
ranged. first at Annapolis and then at
Philadelphia. II was In Philadelphia
that the representatives OF all the
states met for what was In Its original
conception merely a waterways con.
ference: but when they had closed
their deliberations the outcome was
the constitution which made the states
into a nation.
The constitution OF the United
States thus grew In large part out OF
the necessity for united action In the
wise use of one OF our natural re-
sources. The wise use of all or our
natural resources which are our ma.
tional resources as we'll is the great
material question of today.
Resource. Versus Character.
The steadily increasing drain on
these natural resources has promoted
plexity OF our Industrial and social
life. Moreover. this unexampled de-
velopment has had determining effect
upon the character and opinions OF
our people. The demand for efficiency
I'm the great task has given US vigor:
effectiveness. decision. and power. and
Its own lines has never yet been
matched 90 great and so rapid has
been our material growth that there
has bee ma tendency to lag behind In
spiritual and moral growth.
These resources are the hnal basis
OF national power and perpetuity. Fin
ally, IL is ominously evident that these
resources are In the course of rapid
exhaustion.
This nation began with the belief
that its landed possessions were Him
liable 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 agri-
culture now remains unoccupied save
what can be reclaimed by irrigation
and drainage. We began with an un-
approached 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 regarded as inexhaust-
BILE and many experts now declare that
the end OF both iron and coal Is In
sight
How the WASTE Goes On.
The mere increase In our consump-
ton OF coal during 1907 over 1907 ex
ceeded the total consumption in 1876.
the Centennial year. The enormous
stores of mineral oil and gas are
largely gone. Our natural waterways
injured by neglect. and by the division
OF responsibility and utter lack OF sys-
TEN In dealing with them. that there
| IL less navigation on them now than
began with soils OF unexampled fertil-
| ity and we have go Impoverished them
| by injudicious use and by failing TO
check erosion that their crop produc-
ing power Is diminishing instead OF
increasing. In word. we have
thoughtlessly. and 20 large degree
unnecessarily. diminished the resources
! upon which not only our prosperity
but the prosperity OF our children
u bays hscome ureat hacau.e ~