The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-01-28
PEOPLE CAN SAVE
NATURAL WEALTH
BY COMMON SENSE
President Makes Important
Recommendations in Mes
sage to Congress.
FIRST REPORT IS MADE
The Conservation Commission Pre-
sents Some Figures OF tho
country's Re-
sources.
FIRST REPORT IS MADE

SsAS W. NtAO btN
States to their rightful owners. the
people, are made in q message sent
to congress today by President Roose-
welt.
With the message Is transmitted the
hrst report of the conservation CON-
mission, appointed as a result of he
famOus conservation congress- In
Washington last May. The president
analyses the showing of the status OF
natural wealth n presents some po-
tent suggestions for keeping them from
the grasp Of monopoly.
The Message.
h message follows:
To the mate and House of Reprcsen-
transmit herewith a report of the
National Conservation commission, to-
This report. which is the outgrowth OF the
conference of governors last May, was
" Cnn1alnocs Sa agpr 70 BY the recent recent Joint ahe
National Conservation commission and
governors OF states, state conservation
tees of grear organizations of citizens. 1t
q therefore In a peculiar sense represen-
tative OF the whole nation and all Its
With the statements and conclusions OF
this report / heartily concur and l com
both Of the &c congress- and Of our people
generally. 1t is one of the most funda-
mentally important documents ever laid
- OIAOAS AiS A1tAS AiSdIi YCCptV. ~ u
souIces ever made by Any nation. in
S es osn sva iHlm e ea pIsafn IN m a a I = re-.
sources, which are the means of progress.
and calls attention to the essential con-
and welfare of this nation now rest and
must always. continue to. rest. 1t de-
ssrxes a,s and Should have, the widest sid pos
stitute an imperative cali to action. Tho
and less vital questions. shall concentrate
an effective part of our attention upon
81 existence, progress and prosperity.
First OF Series.
This first inventory of natural resources
prepared by the National Conservation
ginning OF. a series which will be indis-
pensable for dealing intelligently with
what We have. II supplies as close an
edge and tine available. sshs progress nsss" Of
Il en- snua fnoT Iesa g Of mo eh.s s so"n1rx M infor son-
.tion n better. use of the sources of
rational strength. But We can not defer
estimates can be reached, because before
that time many Of our resources will be
RFacticaily gone: Il i not necessary that
minute detail. 1t is. essential that it
should correctly describe the general sit
does: Al It stands It is an irrefutable
proof that the conservation OF our re-
sources Il the fundamental question be-
greatest. task IL to set our house in order
n begin to live within our means.
The .irst Of all considerations is the
Gue moral welfare, the highest form Of
welfare. can not permanently exist save
pn {. Arm and lasting Foundation of ma
uation is far from satisfactory. After
every possible allowance has been made.
s BEEN E sivsn fxef fa,l h %sifht. i1 9Ss saess has has
6e unworthy q our history and our intel
slhut our eyes TO these facts or attempt
70 angh them out Of court The people
should and will rightly demand that the
given attention by their representatives.
do not advise hasty, or III considered ac-
t ton on disputed points. but do urge,
public interest is clear, that neither in
difference and Inertia. NOR adverse pri-.
yate interests. shall be allowed to stand
In the way OF the public good.
Basic Facts.
The great basic facts are already well
known. We know that our population is
now adding about one-fifth to Its num-
bers In ten years. and that by the middle
OF the present century perhaps $50, 600
Americans. and by its end very many
millions more. m be fed and clothed
steady growth in population and the still
more rapid Increase in consumption. our
not less demands per capita upon all the
natural resources for their livelihood.
comfort and convenience. Il Is high time
10 realize tina our responsibility to the
coming millions is like that of parents to
their children. and that In wasting our
ants.
We know now that our rivers can and
should be made to serve our people enec-
Lively ayyd ~ tran;;p pe t,, .. but tina the vast vast
resulted in maintaining. much less in pro
noting. inland navigation. Therefore. let
reasons and to prepare and adopt a COM
prehensiye plan for inland waterway nav
,sst the SSenen Msh ,o os' Witch II f fSey hs sHs P BsH;
but which they have not yet received.
We know now that our forests are fast
them are Being conserved .ss and that nc nc
provide the relatively small sums needed
Of all forests stiii owned by the govern.
ment. and TO mac laws to check the
private. hands. There are difrerences Of
opinion az to many. public questions; hui
the American people stand nearly as a
unit Tor waterway development and fol
forest protection.
Once Exhausted, Gone.
We know now that our mineral re.
sources once exhausted are gone forever
~ 0U4 I1AITl SS leeulGSS WASTE OIL 8INeIl COSTS
MS hundreds of human lives aud nearly
$500, O00,O00 a year. Therefore, let us un.
dertake without delay the Investigations
necessary before our people will be ir
position, through state action or other.
wise. to put an end to this huge loss anC
waste. and conserve both our minera
and the lives of the men WHIT
take them from, the earth.
I desire to make grateful acknowledge
ment to the men. both in and out of tn,
government service. who have prepared
the first inventory Of our natural re
sources. They have made 1t possible To-
this nation to take a great step forward
Their work Is helping US to see that tn,
greatest questions before us are not par
tisan questions, but questions upon. which
men OF all parties and all shades o
opinion may be united for the common
good. Among such questions, on the ma
terial side. the conservation Of natura
resources stands first. II Is the bottom
found Of the ladder on our upward pro
9ress toward = condition in which tn
nation a a whole. nd Its citizens AZ in
d~ividuals. will set national efficiency an,
the public welfare before personal pront
The policy Of conservation 10 perhap
the most typical example OF the genefa
~ policies which this government has mad
oeculiaTly its own during the opsninI
NAN