The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-23

.I
 Washingfiton. Jan. 22-President Roosevelt today sent to Congress the treport of the National Conservation (Commission, of which Clifford Pfnchot tst chairman, with his comments on 1t. The message of the President fol- lows: ar To the Senate and House of Represen- transmit herewith a report of the National Conservation Commission, to- lEether with the accompanying papers.
 This report, which is the outgrowth of lwas unanimously approved by the re- lcent joint conference held in this city Between the National Conservation fCommission and governors of states,
 conservation committees of great or l Eanizations of citizens. It Is therefore 1 in a peculiar sense representative of ishe whole nation and all it's parts.
 | With the statements and conclusions
 of this report heartily concur. and commend 1t to the thoughtful con-
 alteration both of the Congress and Of
 eur people generally. IL is one of the
 ments ever laid before the American
 people. It contains the first inventory of it's natural resources ever made by
 any nation. In condensed form it
 presents a statement of our available
 capital in material resources, which are
 the means of progress, and calls atten- ton to the essential conditions upon
 which the perpetuity, safety, and well
 always continue to rest It deserves.
 and should have. the widest possible
 distribution among the people.
 The facts set forth in this report con- The situation they disclose demands ] that we. negfecting for a time. if need be, smaller and less vital questions, shall concentrate an effective part of
 our attention upon the great material
 foundations of national existence. pro-
 gress and prosperity.
 This first inventory of natural re-
 sources prepared by the National Con-
 servation Commission is undoubtedly but the beginning of a series which will be indispensable for dealing intel
 ligently with what we have. It sup
 piles as close an approximation to the
 actual facts as 1t was possible to pre- <pare with the knowledge and time
 avaiiable. The progress of our know
 ledge of this country will continually
 lead to more accurate information and
 better use of the sources of national
 strength. But we can not defer action until complete accuracy in the esti- mates can be reached. because before that time many of our resources will
 be practically gone. It is not neces- sary that this inventory should be
 exact in every minute detail. It is es-
 sential that 1t should correctly describe the general situation; and that the spresent inventory does. As 1t stands it lis an irrefutable proof that the con- servation 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 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, cannot permanently exist save on 6 firm and lasting foun-' k4affnn 11-hN Tu respect our situation is far from satis- factory. After every possible allow ance has been made, and when every hopeful indication has been given it's reason for grave concern. It would be unworthy of our history and our intel ngence. 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 repre- aentatives. do not advise nasty or lfll~considered action on disputed points Ebut do urge, where the facts are sEnown. 9where the public interest is iclear, that neither indifference and Ianertia. nor adverse private interests. apf the public good.
 The great basic facts are already eNweil known. We know that our popu- Iiatson Is now adding about one-fifth by the middle of the present century Iperhaps 150,000.000 Americans. and by it's end very many millions more. must
 be fed and clothed from the products lin population and the stfll more rapid Increase in consumption our people will hereafter make greater and not less demands per capita upon all the comfort and convenience It is high time to realize that our responsibili- tg to the coming millions is like that or parents to their children, and that in wasting our resources we are wronging our descendants
 We know now that our rivers can yand should be made to serve our people effectively in transportation, but that the vast expenditures for our water
 ways have not resulted in maintaining
 much less in promoting. inland naviga- ,fion. Therefore let us take immediate isteps to ascertain the reasons and to prepare and adopt comprehensive plan for inland waterway navigation that will result In giving the~peonle the benefits for which they have paid
 but which they have not yet received. 7 We know now that our forests are 1ast disappearing, that less than one- t1ifth of them are being conserved, and failing to provide the relatively small ssums needed for the protection, use, and improvement of all forests still owned by the government. and to enact 11Ws eO CucCk the WaSLSIul destruction kof the foress in private hands There are differences of opinion as to many public qustions; but the American people stand nearly as a unit for
 waterway development and for forest We know now that our mineral re- sources once exhausted are gone for ever. and that the needless waste of E them costs us hundreds of human lives ' and nearly $500. .00O,0 ,000 a year There xore' let us undertake without delay the Investigations necessary before our people will be in position, through
 State action or otherwise, to put an