The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-01-23
President Tells of Great
Deal of Neglect That
Has Been Prdcticed
In the Past.
SOMEWHAT WARM THRUsTS ARE
AND PRESENT MOVEMENTS IN
CONDUCT OF FOREST RESERVE

WASHINGTON. Jan. 22.-The
president sent the following message
10 congress today:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives
| transmit herewith "A report of the
National Conservation commission,
together with the accompanying pa
pers. This report, which is the out
growth of the conference of govern
ors last May, was unanimously ap
proved by the recent joint conference
held in this city between the Ma
tional Conservation commission and
governors OF states, state conservas
tion commissions, and conservation
committees of great organizations of
citizens. 1t is therefore in pc
cular sense representative of the
whole nation and all its parts.
With the statements and conclu
sions of this report | heartily concur,
and | commend it To the thoughtful
consideration both of the congress
and of our people generally. 1t is
one of the most fundamentally i'm
portant documents ever laid before
the American people. IT contains the
first inventory of its natural resources
ever made by any nation. In con-
densed form il presents statement
of our available capital in material
resources. which are the means of
progress. and calls attention to the
essential conditions upon which the
perpetuity, safety and welfare of
this nation now rest and must al
ways continue To rest. Ii deserves,
and should have, the widest possible
distribution among the people.
The facts set forth In this report
constitute an imperative call to ae-
ton. The situation they disclose de-
mands that we, neglecting for time.
II need be. smaller and less vital
questions. shall concentrate an eff
fective part of our attention upon the
great material foundations of ma.
tional existence. progress. and pros
perity.
This first inventory of natural re-
sources prepared by the National
Conservation commission is undoubt-.
edly but the beginning of series
which will be indispensable for deal
ing intelligently with what we have.
II supplies as close an approximation
to the actual facts as it was possible
to prepare with the knowledge and
time available The progress of our
knowledge of this country will CON
tinually lead 10 more accurate in
formation and better use OF the
sources of national strength. But
we can nor defer action until com
plete accuracy in the estimates can
be reached. because before that time
many of our resources will be prae-
tically gone. 1t is not necessary that
this inventory should be exact in ey
Ii should correctly describe the gen
eral situation; and that the present
inventory does. As 1t stands 1t is an
irrefutable proof that the conserva.
tion of our resources is the funda
mental question before this nation.
and that our first and greatest task
is to set our house in order and be
gin TO live within our means.
The first of all cons alterations is
the permanent welfare of our peo-
pie: and true moral welfare, the
highest form of welfare. can not per-
manently exist save on firm and
lasting foundation of material well
being. In this respect our situation
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 con-
Germ 1t would be unworthy of our
Continued On Page Two.)