Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1909-01-29

neRlectIng for a time, II need be, smaller |
and isss 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 stu
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 will rightly demand
i that the great fundamental questions
| shall be given attention by their rep
| resentatives. do not advise nasty OF III
4 considered action on disputed points, but
| I 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
| TO 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 Its numbers
| in ten years. and that by the middle of
| the present century perhaps 150.0OO,OO0
| Americans, and by its end very many
| millions more, must be fed and clothed
| from the products of our soil.
1--WE know now that our rivers can ana
| ahouId be made to serve our people eff
fectiyely 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
ascertain the reasons and to prepare and
adopt comprehensive plan for Inland
waterway navigation that will result IN
{ giving the people the dement's Tor whcl
4 | they have paid but which they have moi
: | vet received. We know now that our for.
: ests are fast disappearing, that less thar
: one-ffth of them are being conserved
. and that no good purpose can be met by
failing to provide the relatively sinai
q sums needed for the protection, use, ant
r Improvement Of all forests still owned o.
d the government, and to enact laws q
II check the wasteful destruction OF the for
7 ests in private hands. There are diner
! ences of opinion as to many public ques
= lions; but the American people stan
81 nearly as a unit for waterway develop
10 ment and for forest protection
y 1--WE know now that our mineral re
i sources once exhausted are gone for
IS ever. and that the needless waste Q
them costs us hundreds of human live
n and nearly $500 100000 year Therefor'
let us undertake without delay the III
- vestigations necessary before our peopl
10 will be in position, through state acto
Y, or otherwise, to put an END to this mug
s, loss and waste. and conserve both OF
mineral resources and the lives on IN
n men who take them from the earth
va "Thfs administration has achieve
" some things; 1t has sought but ha
20 not been able. to achieve, others;
40 has doubtless made mistakes; but a
It has done or attempted has been
IS the single. consistent effort to 81
i'd cure and enlarge the rights and oppo
bit tunities of the men and women OF q
rs United States. We are trying to col
air serve what is good in our social sy
tem. and we are striving toward tn
end when we endeavor to do away wi
60 what is bad Success may be made q
sSs hard for some II 1t is made too eal
;ly FOR others The rewards of CONNIE
he Industry and thrift may be too sHf
in IL the rewards for others, and on :
So whole less valuable. qualities.
made too large, and especially II {
rewards for qualities which are real
from the public standpoint nndesi
able. are permitted to become {
M large. Our aim is SO far as possif
to provide such conditions that the
shall be equality of opportunity wine
m there is equality Of energy, fidelity q
intelligence; when there Is reaso