The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-01-28
PEOPLE GAN SAVE
NATURAL WEALTH
BY COMMON SENSE
President Makes Important
Recommendations in Mes
sage to Congress.
FIRST REPORT rs MADE
The Conservation Commission Pre-
sents Some Figures on the
country's Re
sources.

concentrations for the preservation of
tho natural of the United
States to their rightful owners. the
people, are made in a message sent
to congress today by President Roose-
Welt.
With the message is transmitted the
first report of the conservation COM
mission, appointed as a result of the
FAMOUS conservation congress" in
Washington last May. The president
analyses the showing of the status of
natural wealth and presents some po-
tent suggestions for keeping them from
she grasp of monopoly.
The Message.
The message follows:
To the Senate and House of Represen-
,4atiVes:
transmit herewith a report OF the
National Conservation commission. to-
igether with the accompanying papers.
This report. which is the outgrowth of the
conference of governors last May. was
conference held in this city between the
governors of states, state conservation
commissions, and conservation commit
i 5ee the or g5eaf in or 8 peea{iap sense OF elt represen a.
tatiye of the whole nation and all it's
parts;
this report l heartily concur, and | COM
mend It to the ~thoughtfu Consideration
.e GENE al the II eG IS oes o. ah the 81 most osr }nndae
mentally important documents ever laid
before the American people. 1t contains
sources ever made by any nation. In
condensed form 1t presents a statement
sources, which are the means of progress.
and calls attention to the essential con-
.ditions Q which the perpetuity. safety
must always continue to rest. 1t de-,
serves. and should have, the widest pos
.Sible distribution among the people
.a Tho facts set forth in this rpnOrt pOn-
sstitute an Imperative call to action. The
situation they disclose demands that we.
and less vital questions, snail concentrate
an effective part of our attention upon
the great material foundations of nation
:Rl existence, progress and prosperity.
First of Series.
This first inventory of natural resources
prepared by the National Conservation
commission is undoubtedly but the be-
pensable for dealing intelligently with
what we have. 1t supplies as close an
was possible to prepare with the knowl-
edge and time available. The progress of
our knowledge of this country will con-
ton and better use of the sources of
national strength. But we can not defer
estimates can be reached, because before
that time many of our resources will be
practically gone. 1t is not necessary that
minute detail. 1t is essential that it
should correctly describe the general sit
does. AS It stands it is an irrefutablse
proof hat the conservation Of our re-
sources is the fundamental question be-
fore this nation, and that our first and
greatest task is to set our house in order
and begin to live within our means.
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
aon a firm and lasting foundation of ma
-Spria1 we'll being In this respect orr sit
uation 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
,%ligcnee, and disastrous 10 our future, to
shut our eyes to these facts or attempt
to laugh them out of court. The people
should and will rightly demand that the
great fundamental questions shall be
given attention by their representa- tives.
! 3to 90 not no aav,sf aaS nsin 9r N b n4nT : der ,,r &C
where the facts arc known, where the
public interest is clear, that neither in
vate interests, shall he allowed to stand
in the way of the public good.
Basic Facts.
The great basic facts are already well
now adding about one-fifth to its num-
bers in ten years. and that by the middle
of the present century perhaps 15o,0Go,GN
millions more. must be fed and clothed
from the products of our soil. With the
steady growth in population and the still
people will hereafter make greater and
NOT less demands per capita. upon al the
comfort and convenience. Tt Is high time
- asti1v that ezg9 $ 70 the
their children, and that in wasting our
resources we are Wronging our descend
ants.
We know now that our rivers can and
t%cfS01tlI no n ado TO Gprvp n11r DGnDlp pfTan-
lively in transportation, but that the vast
expenditures for our waterways have not
resulted in maintaining, much less in pro-
noting, inland navigation, Therefore, let
us take immediate steps to ascertain the
rsasons and to prepare pre- ar, a. and IL afdopf a com nan.
igation that will result in giving the PEG:
pile the benefits for which they nave .paid
hut which they have not yet received
We know now tina our forests are fast
disappearing. that less than one-fifth oil
them are being conserved, and hat nc
provide the relatively small sums needed
for the protection, use. and improvement
anent. and to enact laws to check the
wasteful destruction of the forests il
private hands. There are differences o.
the American people stand nearly as {
airit for waterway development and fol
forest protection.
Once Exhausted, Gone.
Wn know now that our mineral re
asources once exhausted are gone forever
and that the needless waste of them cost:
sns flIndreds of human lives and nearl.
$4,000 900 a year. Therefore. let us un,
@iertake without delay the investigate
necessary before our people will be il
position. through state action or other
wise. to put an end to this huge loss ant
waste, and conserve both or mipera
resources and the lives of the men VIII,
tate them from the earth.
T desire to make grateful acknowledge
agsaert TO the men. both in and out of TIN
government service. who have prepare
i first, inventory of Dur natural re
sfa,lrees. They have made it possible TO
9his nation to take a great step forward
Their work is helping us TO see that tn
,greatest questions before us are not par
asisan questions, but questions upon which
-saesl Of all parties and all shades Q
opinion may be united for the commol
good. Among such questions. on the ma
resources stands fist. 1t is the bottom
round of the ladder on our upward pro
g-ess toward a condition in which tn
naticn as a whole. and its citizens as in
.41ipiduafs, will set national efficiency an
tho public welfare before personal prof
The policy OF conservation is perhap
the most typical example of the genera
policies which this government has mad
peculiarly Its own during the openin