The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-01-28

neglecting for time. II need be, smaller
ana 'ess vital questions, shall concentrate
an effective part of our attention upon
the great material foundations of ma
uonal 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 wel-beng. 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 its full weight, the facts still
give reason for grave concern. 1t 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
that the great fundamental questions
shall be given attention by their rep
resentatives. do not advise hasty or Ill
considered action on disputed points. but
/ do urge, where the facts are known,
where the public interest IL clear, that
neither indifference and inertia. nor ad-
verse private interests, shall be allowed
to stand I'm 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 10000, 900
Americans. and by its end very many
millions more. must be fed and clothed
from the products of our soil.
eve know now that our rivers can and
should be made to serve our people eff
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
4 n
adopt a comprehensive plan for inland
waterway navigation that win result in
giving the people the benefits for which
they have paid but which they have not
yet received. We know now that our for
ests are fast disappearing, that less than
one-fifth OF them are being conserved,
and that no good purpose can be met by
failing TO provide the relatively small
sums needed for the protection, use, and
Improvement OF all forests stiIl owned by
the government, and TO enact laws 10
check the wastcful destruction Of the for
ests In private hands. There are differ
ences OF opinion as to many public ques-
tons: but the American people stand
nearly as unit for waterway develop
ment and for forest protection.
I'VE 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
and nearly 5000, NW.Vb "A year. Therefore,
let us undertake without delay the In
yestlgatons 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.
This Administrations has achieved
some things II has sought, hut has
not been able To achieve. others; II
has doubtless made Mistakes but all
Il has done or attempted has been in
the single consistent effort TO Sc
cure and enlarge the rights and oppor-
tunities OF the men and women OF the
United States. We arc trying 10 CON
serve what is good IN our social sys-
tenn, and we are striving toward this
end when we eudeavor to do away with
| what rs bad. Success may be made toe
| hard for some II Il Is made too easy
| for others. The rewards of common
! Industry and thrift may bc too small
~ the rewards for others. and on the
| whole less valuable qualities. are
made too large. and especially N The
rewards for qualities which are really
! from the public standpoint. undesir-
able. are permitted to become too
/ large our aim o. 90 far MS possible
| to provide such conditions that there
| shall be equality OF opportunity where
| there Is equality of energy, fidelity and
Intelligence, when there is a reason