Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-22


to the essential conditions upon which
the perpetuity. safety and welfare of
this nation now rest and must always
continue to rest. 1t deserves and should
have the widest possible distribution
among the people.
The facts set forth in this report
constitute an imperative call to action.
The situation they disclose demands
that we. neglecting for q time, if need
be. smaller and less vital questions,
shall concentrate an effective part of
our attention upon the great material
foundations of national existence, prog
ress and prosperity.
Immediate Action Needed.
This first inventory of natural re-
sources prepared by the national con-
servation commission is undoubtedly
but the beginning of series which
will be Indispensable for dealing intel
ligently with what We have. 1t sup
plies as close an approximation to the
actual facts as 1t was possible to pre-
pare with the knowledge and time
available. The progress Of our knowl-
edge of this country will continually
lead TO more accurate information and
better use of the sources of national
strength. But we cannot defer action
until complete accuracy in the esti-
mates can be reached, because before
that time many of our resources will
be practically gone. 1t Is not neces-
sary that this inventory should be eX-
act in every minute detail. 1t IS essen
tial that it should correctly describe
the general situation and that the
present inventory does. rs it stands
1t Is an irrefutable proof that the con-
servation of our resources is the fun
damental question before 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. and
true rlcral welfare. the highest form
of welfare, cannot permanently exist
save on firm and lasting foundation
of material we'll being. In this re-
Spect our situation is far from salts
factory. After every possible allow
ance has been made and when every
hopeful indication has been given It's
full weight the facts still give reason
for grave concern. 1t would be IN
worthy of our history and our intelli-
gence and disastrous to our future TO
4 shut our eyes to these facts or attempt
| to laugh them out of court. The peo-
| pie should and will rightly demand
| that the great fundamental questions
shall be given attention by their repre-
| sentativeS. | do not advise haSty or
i'll considered action on disputed
| points, but | do urge, where the facts
| are known, where the public interest
IS clear, that neither Indifference and
| inertia nor adverse private interests
| shall be allowed to stand in the way
of the public good.
| Our Responsibility For the Future.
| The great basic facts are already
/ well known. We know that our popu
! lation is now adding about one-fifth tt
it's numbers in ten years and that b!
the middle of the present century per
haps 150,000.000 Americans and by Its
end very many millions more must b.
fed and clothed from the products o.
our soil. With the steady growth IL
population and the still more rapid IN
crease in consumption our people vii
hereafter make greater and not les
demands per capita upon all the natu
raj resources for their livelihood. com
fort and convenience. 1t is high tim
to realize that our responsibility to th-
coming millions is like that of parent
to their children and that in waStin;
our resources we are-Wronging our de
scendants.
| We know now that our rivers ca
and should be made to serve our pee
pie effectively in transportation, bu
that the vast expenditures for our wa
terways have not resulted in maintain
ing, much less in promoting. inlan'
navigation. Therefore let Us take in
mediate steps to ascertain the reason
and to prepare and adopt a compre
hensive plan for inland waterway nav
4 igation that viii result in giving tn
people the benefits for which they hav
+ paid, but which they have not yet re
II ceived. We know now that our forest
II are fast disappearing. that less tina
II one-ffth of them are being conserve
and that no good purpose can be me
Il by failing to provide the relativel
II small sums needed for the protection
II use and improvement of all forests sti
owned by the government and to enac
II laws to check the wasteful destructio
II of the forests in private hands. Their
Il are differences of opinion as to man
III public questions. but the American pee
H pie stand nearly as a unit for water
Il way development and for forest pre-
II lection.
ii we know now that our mineral r,
sources, once exhausted. are gone fol
II ever and that the needless waste {
them costs US hundreds of human live
and nearly $300.O00.OO0 year. Their,
II fore let us undertake without della
the investigations necessary before OF
people will be in position through stat
action or otherwise to put an end
II this huge loss and waste and consery
both our mineral resources and til
lives of the men who take them frol
II the earth