The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-01-28
PEOPLE CAN SAVE
NATURAL WEALTH
BY COMMON SENSE
--------
President Makes Important
recommendations in Mes
sage to Congress.
FIRST REPORT is MADE
The Conservation Commission Pre-
sents Some Figures OIL the
country's Re-
sources.
FIRST REPORT IS MADE

M
81 the natural OF the United
n states to their rightful owners. the
people, are made in a message sent
a to congress today by President Roose-
m Welt,
first report OF the conservation COM
mission. appointed as a result OF the
M famous conservation congress- in
81 washington last May. The president
Analyses the showing OF the status of
natural wealth and presents some po-
n tent suggestions for keeping them from
M the grasp of monopoly.
The Message.
The message follows:
To the senate and House OF Represen-
I transmit herewith a report OF the
/" National Conservation commission, to-
zether with the accompanying papers.
This report, which is h outgrowth of the
conference OF governors last May, was
unanimously approved by the recent joint
M conference held IN this city between the
National Conservation commission and
W governors OF states. state conservation
I" commissions, and conservation commit
IA tees of great organizations OF citizens. 1t
IS therefore IN a peculiar sense represen-
~ tatiye OF the whole nation n all its
parts.
this report / heartily concur. and I COM
mend Il 70 the thoIghtful consideration,
both OF the congress- and OF our people
generally 1t is one OF the most funda-
before 2he American people. Ii contains
the frst inventory Of Its natural re-
sources ever made by any nation. In
condensed form IL presents a statement
VI Of our available capital In material re-
" sources, which are the means of progress,
and calls attention TO the essential con-
and welfare Of this nation now rest and
W must always continue TO rest. 1T de-
serves and should have, The widest pos
The facts Set forth in this report con-
WI stitute an Imperative call 10 action. The
N situation they disclose demands that we,
and less vital questions. shall concentrate
an effective part OF our attention upon
the great material foundations OF nation
al existence. progress and prosperity.
First OF Series.
This first Inventory of natural resources
NJ prepared by the National Conservation
commission Is undoubtedly but the be-
ginning OF a series which will be indis-
pensable for dealing in~telligently with
what we have. II supplies as close an
approximation to the actual facts as it
was possible to prepare with the knowl-
edge and time available. The progress of
our knowledge of this country will con-
tlnually lead 70 more accurate informa-
ton and better use of the sources of
y acion until complete accuracy in the
estimates can be reached. because before
that time many OF our will be
.M DTdClICdllH EOAlSsLlll y nut" DEGfHEdI4 .tnuI
this inventory should be exact In every
minute detail. 1t Is essential that ii
should correctly describe the general sit
does. As IL stands fl is an irrefutabie
proof that the conservation of our re-
sources is the fundamental question be-
fore this nation, and that our first and
greatest task Is to set our house In order
and begin to live within our means.
The first OF all considerations is the
permanent welfare OF our people: ard
W true moral welfare, the highest form OF
welfare, can not permanently exist save
on a firm and lasting foundation of ma
terial well being. In this respect our sit
uatinn Is far from satisfactory. After
every possible allowance has been made,
and when every hopeful indication has
been given its full weight. the facts sim
be unworthy OF our history and our intel
W ligonce, and disastrous to our future, to
shut our eyes to these facts or attempt
should and will rightly demand that the
great fundamental uuestions shall be
given attention by their representatives,
ton on disputed points, but I do urge,
where the facts are known, where the
public interest is clear, that. neither in
difference N inertia, nor adverse pri-
yate interests. shall be allowed to stand
IN the way OF the public good.
Basic Facts. ..o. .
The great basic facts are already well
known, We know that our population is
|| INV dunilE dDODL OtIt-lIlIl 10 u Hhln-
bers in ten years. and that by the middle
OF the present century perhaps 150, 900, coo
Americans, and by It's end very many
millions more, must be fed n clothed
from the products OF our soil. With the
steady growth in population and the still
more rapid increase In consumption, our
people will hereafter make greater and
not less demands per capita upon all the
natural for their livelihood,
comfort and convenience. IT Is high time
to realize that our responsibility to the
coming millions is Ike thai of parents to
their children, and that in wasting our
resources we are wronging our descend
W ants.
We know now that our, rivers can and
should be made to serve our people effec-
lively in transportation, but that the vast
expenditures for our waterways have not
resulted In maintaining, much less In pro-
noting. inland navigation. Therefore. let
us take immediate steps to ascertain the
reasons and TO prepare and adopt a COM
prehensive plan for inland waterway nav
igation that viii result in giving the peo-
PIE the dement's for which they have paid
nut which they have not yet received.
aM We know now that our forests are fast
disappearing. that less han one-fifth OF
them are being conserved, and that no
good purpose can be met BY falling to
provide the relatively small gums needed
Tot the protection, use, n Improvement
OF all forests still owned by the govern
4 ment and e enact laws % check the
private hands. There are differences. Of
opinion as to many public questions; but
me american people stand nearly as q
unit for waterway development and for
Forest protection.
Once Exhausted, Gone. y
We know now that our mineral re-
sources once exhausted are gone forever.
and that the needless waste of them costs
vs. hundreds OF human lives and nearly
SES0,000,O00 a year. Therefore, let us un-
Qertake without delay the investigations
necessary before our people will be in
position, through state action or other
wise. TO put an end to this huge loss and
waste, and conserve both our mineral
resources and the lives Of the E1en who
Jake them from the earth.
l desire TO make grateful acknowledge
nent to the men, both I'm and out of the
government service, who have prepared
lhe first Inventory OF our natural re-
sources. They have made IL possible for
mis- nation to take a great step forward.
Iheir work Is helping us to see that the
greatest questions before IN are not par
Nsan question:, but questions upon which
men OF all parties and all shades of
opinion may be united for the common
good Among such questions. on the ma.
Ierial side. the conservation OF natural