The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1909-01-28
CONSERVATION
President Approves Report
of National Commission.
SENDS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
Urges Measures to Conserve the Nat
ural Resources a a Legacy to Pos
terity-Should be Put n Effect
Without Delay.


natural resources.
l transmit herewith a report Of the
national conservation commission, to-
| gether with the accompanying papers.
This report, which is the outgrowth
of the conference of Governors last
May, was unanimously approved by
the recent joint conference held in
this city between the national con-
s~ervation commission and Governors
of the States, State conservation com
missions and conservation commit
tees of great organizations of citi-
zens. 1t is therefore in a peculiar
n representative of the whole ma
ton and all its parts.
The facts set forth in this report
constitute an imperative call to act
ion. The situation they disclose de-
mands that we, neglecting for a time.
If need be, smaller and less vital
questions, shall concentrate an effec-
tive part of our attention upon the
great material foundations Of nation
al existence, progress and prosperity.
The progress of our knowledge of
this country will continually lead to
more aeurate information. and better
use of the sources of national
strength. It is not necessary that
this knowledge should be exact in
every minute detail. It is essential
that it should correctly describe the
general situation. The conservation
of our resources is the fundamental
question before this nation
Our population is now adding about
one-fifth to its numbers in ten a
Many millions more, must be fed and
clothed from the products of our soil.
With the steady growth in population
and the still nor rapid increase in
consumption our people will here
after make greater and not less de-
mands per capita upon all the nat
ural for their livelihood,
comfort and convenience. It is high
time to realize that our responsible
ity to the coming millions is like that
of parents to their children, and that
IN wasting our resources we are
wronging our descendants.
Our rivers can and should be made
to serve our people effectively in
transportation, but the vast expen-
ditures for our waterways have not
resulted in maintaining, much less in
promoting, inland navigation. There
fore, let US take immediate steps TO
ascertain the reasons and to prepare
and adopt a comprehensive plan for
inland waterway navigation. Our
forests are fast disappearing, and
less than cne-ifth of them are being
conserved, and no good purpose can
be met bv failing to provide the rela-
lively small sums needed for the pro-
lection, use, and improvement of all
forests still owned by the govern
ment. Let us enact laws to check
the wasteful destruction of the for
ests in private lands. The American
people stand nearly as a unit for
waterway development and for forest
| protection.
Mineral Resources Wasted.
Our mineral once eX-
hausted are gone forever, and the
/ needless waste of them costs US hun
dreds of human lives and nearly
$300,00O,000 a year. Therefore, let
us undertake without delay the in
vcstigations necessary before our
people will be. in position, through
State action or otherwise. to put an
end to this huge loss and waste, and
conserve both our mineral resources
and the lives Of the men who take
them from the earth.
The conservation of our natural
resources is of first consideration. If
we Of this generation destroy the re-
sources from which our children
would otherwise derive their livli-
hood, we reduce the capacity of our
land to support a population, and so
either degrade the standard of living
or deprive the coming generations Of
their rights to life on this continent.
If we allow great industrial organ
laztlons to exercise unregulated con-
troll of the means of production and
the necessaries of life, we deprive
The Americans of to-day and of the
future of Industrial liberty, a right
no less precious and vital than poll
teal freedom.
The administration which is lust
drawing to a close, has at least seen
J IhO AuIudu1SuGdI n06Q OF Tree
dom of opportunity for every citizen.
No man and no set of men should be
allowed to play the game of competi-
ton with loaded dice. The uncheck-
ed existence of monopoly is incom-
patible with equality of opportunity.
The reason for the exercise of gov
eminent control over great monopo-
hes is to equalize opportunity.
Waterways.
Accordingly, / urge that the broad
plan for the development of our
waterways, recommended by the In
land Waterways Commission, be put
In effect without delay.
The work of waterways develop
ment should be undertaken without
delay. Meritorious projects in known
Econformity with the general outlines
of any comprehensive plan should
proceed at once. The cost of the
whole work should be met by direct
appropriation if possible, but if nee
essary by the issue of bonds in small
denominations.
1t is especially important that. the
development of water power should
be guarded with the utmost care both
by the national government and by
the States in order TO protect the MOO