The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-15

4 y = i. il .
n mine, buhd house weayesa fabric
prcpnro meal or cultivate an acr
OF ground under modern methods with
out the aid Of Iron. We turn on
over 25,oo1.ooo tons of pig iron ever!
goar, and the production for the frs
half Of 1907 was nj the rate OF a.
half times the product Of Great iSri,
tain. It's nearly half the product O
Tic whole world, And the supply
is so far from inoxhaustlblo that I,
seems MS If iron and coal might be
united n their disanpSe a ,nnss ts 1ro
able view OF the situation forces the
conclusion that iron aud coal VIII not
be available for common use on any
thing like present terfns before the
end Of THIS centnrS; and our ind u.s. u. !
adjusted 20 meet the strains impose cd
by new conditions Yet we forbid to
our consumers access to the stores of
increased exports, Of that material Tor
want of wu.eh one day the nation must
be reduced to the last extremity.
As to our Lnnds.
We now turn to the only remaining
resource of lran upon this earth, which
for that and what possibilities. does
IT hold out to the people of future
support? we are only beginning to
feel the pressure. upon the land. The
whole interior of this continent ag-
gregating mere than 5oo,o0c,00o acres.
l.as been occupied by settlers within
the last fifty years. What Is there
lett for the next fifty years? En-
Guiding arid and irrigable areas. the
latter limited By nature, and barely
enough of which could be made habit
able in zach year to furnish farm
for each Immigrant family, the case
appropriated public lands in the United
OF this area the divisions of Alaska,
Arizona, California, Colorado. Idaho.
Wyoming contained 195.7oo.ooo acres of
surveyed and 50g.00o.o0Q acres of un-
surveyed lands Little of Alaska is
ftted for general agriculture. while
practically all of the rest is semi arid
land available only for grazing or ir
iigation. We have, subtracting these
totals. 50,0no,00o acres of surveyed and
36.5o0,Ooo acres of unsurveyed land as
oe6oeo acres were disposed Of in 1907
How long Will the remainder last? No
longer can we say that Uncle Sam
has land enough to give US all a
farm"
Equally, threatening is the change in
the productive power of the earth is
lessened; first by. erosion and the
+ sHnttpIlSa away Oh alUt leTllle surface
into streams and thence to the sea.
anu, second. by exhaustion through
wrong methods of cultivation. The
former process has gone far. Thou
sands of acres in the East and South
have been made unfit for tillage. North
Carolina Was n century ago one of
the great agricultural States of the
country and one of the wealthiest. To-
day as YOU ride through the South you
see everywhere land quilted by torren-
tial rains. red and yellow clay banks
exposed where once We're fertile fields
and agriculture reduced because its
main support has been washed away
Millions of acres, in places to the ex-
tent of one-tenth Of the entire arabic
area. have been so injured that no
industry and no care can restore them.
Issues of the Nation.
Mr.. Hill discussed soil waste at great
length and with intense earnestness,
quoted statistics as to reduced pro,
duction to show It's effects, and con-
Guided:
have endsavored to outline some
OF the principal issues at stake in
the better, conservation of our ma
tional resources, and especially that
one about which all the others revolve
and by whose fortunes we shall even
They. are for us quite literally the
issues of national existence. The era
of unlimited expansion on every side
OF having but to, reach out and seize
civ uGs!lth SbOu, ready provided Tor
us by the hand that laid the founda-
lions OF the earth, is drawing to a
close The first task, it seems to me-
must be to force home the facts OF
the situation into the public consci
ness: TO make men realize their duty
toward coming generations exactly as
the father feels 1t duty to see that
his children do not suffer want. In
democracy this is n first essential
In other forms of government one or
two great men may have power to cor
rect mistakes and to put in motion
wise policies that cesturies do not UNI
government is the acceptance of that
nigh office and imperative duty as a
Whole by tho people themselves They
must know. they must weigh, they
effect TO wise decisions can the nation
go forward. And we should not be
mere to-day We're 1t not that the prin-
clple of conservation of national re-
sources as the foremost and controlling
policy of the United States hencefortil
Is coming to be seen by many. and
must be heartily accepted by all. as
!, me iirst condition not only of con-
linued material prosperity. but also of
the perpetuation of free Institutions
and a government by the people The
work now. being done BY the Depart
men5 of Agriculture, and the agricul-
.furnishs. ts-bToad and intelligent foun-
cation upon which to build up new
era Of national progress and pros
peritS II calls 70, wise generous
and continuing policy on the part Of
Doth Federal and State governments.
Must Look to Future.
II this patriotic gospel is to make
Z feadWay. II must be by just such
Day begun. 1t cannot go on and con-
quer If imposed from without. 1t must
come TO represent the fixed idea Of
the peoples mind, their determination
and their hone n ba
porated In our practical life BY the
dictum OF any Individual or any Of
Hcer Of nation or State in his ofIiciaI
all the influences. the help OF every
voice, the commentator of nation and
state that has been the strength and
inspiration of every worthy work on
turn, for our gathering in council and
Tor our plan Of action for the future
to the model given us by the fathers