Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-05-13

by this average man from the actual
resources of the country. Yet, rather
Curiously, at the same time the av-
erage man is apt to lose his realiza-
ton of this dependence upon nature.
Since then our knowledge and use
of the resources of the present terri
tory of the United States have in
creased a hundredfold. Indeed, the
growth of this nation by leaps and
bounds makes one of the most strik-
ing and important chapters in the
history of the world. Its growth has
been due to the rapid development.
and alas! that it should be said, to
the rapid destruction, of our natural
resources. Nature has supplied to US
in the United states, and still sup
plies to US, more kinds of resources
IN 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 thoroughness of the con-
troll we have achieved over nature;
but we are more, and not less, de-
pendent upon what she furnishes
than at any previous time of history
since the days of primitive man.
Since the days when the Constitu-
ton was adopted steam and electric
ity have revolutionized the Industrial
world. Nowhere has the revolution
been so great as in our own country.
The discovery and utilization of min
| eral 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 industrial development as has
| never before been seen. The vast
wealth of lumber in our forests. the
riches of our soils and mines the dis
covery Of gold and mineral oils, COM
bined with the efficiency of our trans
portation, have made the conditions
of our life unparalleled in comfort
and convenience.
The steadily increasing drain on
these natural resources has promoted
to an extraordinary degree the COM
pleXity of our industrial and social
life. Moreover, this unexampled de-
velopment has had a determining eff
feet upon the character and opinions
Of our people. The demand for ef-
ticiency in the great task has given us
vlgor, effectiveness, decision and DOW
er, and a capacity for achievement
which in its own lines has never vet
been matched. So great and so rapid
has been our material growth that
there has been tendency to lag be-
hind in spiritual and moral growth:
but that is not the subject upon which
, speak to you today
Disregarding for the moment the
question of moral purpose, il Is safe
to say that the prosperity of our peo-
pie depends directly on the energy
and intelligence with which our nat
! ural resources are used. IL is equally
clear that these resources are the
final basis of national power and per-
petuity. Finally, it is ominously evil
dent that these resources are in the
course of rapid exhaustion.
We 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 are gone, when the
coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are
exhausted, when the soils shall have
been still further Impoverished and
washed into the streams, polluting
the rivers, denudng the fields and OBJ
structing navigation. These questions
do not relate only to the next CEN
tury or TO the next generation. 1t is
time for us now as a nation to eXer-
else the same reasonable foresight in
dealing with our great natural re-
sources that would be shown by any
prudent man in conserving and wide
ly using the property which contains
the assurance of well being for HIM
self and his children.
The natural resources | have enum-
Grated can be divided into two sharp
ly distinguished classes accordingly
as they are or are not capable Of re-
neWal. Mines II used must necessar-
lily be exhausted. The minerals do not
and can not renew themselves. There
fore In dealing with the coal, the oil. |
the gas, the iron, the metals gener-