Mexico Missouri message., 1909-01-28

neRlecting for a time II need be. smaller
and less vital questions. shall concentrate
an effective part OF our attention upon
the great material foundations OF ma
tional existence. progress. and prosperity.
The first OF all considerations Is the
permanent welfare OF our people, and
true moral welfare, the highest form of
welfare, can not permanently exist save
on firm and lasting foundation OF mate
rial well-being. In this respect our situ-
alton is far from satisfactory After
every possible allowance has been made,
and when every hopeful indication has
been given It's full weight. the facts still
give reason for grave concern. II would
be unworthy OF our history and our In
telligence, and disastrous TO our future.
to shut our eyes to these facts or at
tempt TO laugh them out OF court. The
people should and viii rightly demand
that the great fundamental questions
shall be given attention by their rep
resentatives. l do not advise hasty or ILL
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 Ad-
verse private interests. shall be allowed
10 stand in the way OF the public good.
1.-THE great basic facts are already well
known. We know that our population is
now adding about one-fifth TO It's numbers
In ten years. and that by the middle Of
the present century perhaps 10000 600
Americans, and by Its end very many
millions more. must De fed and clothed
from the products OF our soil.
Eve know now that our rivers can and
should be made 10 serve our people ef-
fectively in transportation. but that the
vast expenditures for our waterways
have not resulted In maintaining. much
less in promoting, inland navigation
Therefore. let us take immediate steps TO
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adopt comprehensive plan for inland
waterway navigation that will result in
giving the people the benefits for which
they have paid but which they have not
get received. We know now that our for
ests are fast disappearing. that less than
one-hfth OF them arc being conserved.
and that no good purpose can be met by
failing 20 provide the relatively small
sums needed for the protection, use, and
improvement OF all forests still owned by
the government. and to enact laws to
check the wasteful destruction OF the for
ests In private hands.
1--WE know now that our mineral re-
sources once exhausted are gone for
ever. and that the needless waste OF
them costs us hundreds OF human lives
ana nearly $500. 600 a year. Therefore.
let Us undertake without delay the In
vestiEationa necessary before our people
will be In position, through state action
losa and waste. and conserve both our
mineral resources and the lives OF the
men who take them from the earth.
This administration has achieved
some things; Il has sought. but has
not been able, TO achieve. others: IL
has doubtless made mistakes; but all
II has done OF attempted has been In
the single. consistent EFFORT 10 Sc
cure and enlarge the rights and oppor-
tunities OF the men and women OF the
United States. We are trying TO con-
serve what 10 good In our social Hys-
TEN. and We are striving toward this
end when we endeavoP TO DO away with
/ what g. bad. Success may be made too
hard for some n IL 10 made too easy
| for others The rewards OF common
Industry and thrift may be too small
II the rewards for others. and on the
whole less valuable. qualities. are
| made too large. and especially II the
| rewards for qualities which are really.
| from the public standpoint. undesir-
1 able. are permitted 20 become too
large. Our aim IL 20 far al possible
| 70 provide such conditions that there
ahnll be equality OF opportunity where
there u equality OF energy. ndelity and
intellisonoei when there u reAsoA-