Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-01-29

drainage, that by systematic operation
these can be drained at moderate ex-
pense and that they would then be-
worth two or three times the present
value and cost of drainage and would
furnish homes for 10, 100000 people.
A large part of that half of the an
nual rainfall not evaporated lodges
temporarily in the soil and earth. It
is estimated that the ground water to
the depth of 100 feet averages 16 2-3
per cent of the earth volume. or over
1,4OO, 600, 900, 600, 900 cubic feet, equiva-
lent to seven years rainfall or twenty
years run-off. This subsurface reser-
voir is the essential basis of agricul-
ture and other industries and Is the
chief natural resource Of the country.
1t is probable that fully 10 per cent of
this rich resource has been wasted
since settlement began. The water of
the strata below 100 feet supplies arte-
sian and deep wells, large springs and
thermal and mineral waters. 1t can be
controlled only through the subsurface
reservoir.
Except through agriculture and for
estry little general effort is made to
control the annual cutoff, although
some farmers in arid regions claim to
double or triple the crop from given
soil by supplying water just when
needed and Withholding 1t when not
required.
Within recent months 1t has been
recognized and demanded by b peo-
pie, through many thousand delegates
from all states assembled in conven-
ton in different sections of the coun-
try, that the waterways should and
must be improved promptly and eff
fectively as q means of maintaining
national prosperity.
The first requisite for waterway m
provement is the control of the waters
in such manner as to reduce foods and
regulate the regimen of the navigable
rivers. The second requisite is devel-
opment of terminals and connections
in such as to regulate COM
merce.
In considering the uses and benefits
to be derived from the waters the
paramount use should be water sup
ply. Next should follow navigation in
humid regions and irrigation In arid
regions. The development of power
on the navigable and source streams
should be co-ordinated with the pri-
mary and secondary uses.
Broad plans should be adopted pro-
viding for a system of waterway i'm
provement extending to all uses of the
waters and benefits to be derived
from their control.
National Efficiency.
Since the greatest of our national as
sets is the health and vigor of the
American people. our efficiency must
depend on national vitality even more
thar on the of the minerals,
lands, forests and waters.
Our annual mortality from tubercu-
losis is about 10000. Stopping three
fourths of the loss of life froAN this
cause and from typhoid and other
prevalent and preveptable disehses
would increase our AVERAGE length of
life over fifteen years.
If we count the value of each life
lost at only $1,700 and reckon the
average earning lost by illness as 500
per year for grown men, we find that
the economic gain from mitigation of
~preventable disease in the United
States would exceed $1,000, 100000 a
year. In addition we would decrease
suffering and increase happiness and
contentment among the people. b
gain, or the lengthening and strength
ening of life which it measures, can
be secured through medical investiga-
ton and practice, school and factory
hygiene, restriction of labor by women
and children. the education of the peo-
pie in both public and private hygiene
and through improving the efficiency
of our health service, municipal, state
and national. The national govern
ment has now several agencies exer-
cising health functions which only
need to be concentrated to become CO.
ordinated parts of a greater health
service worthy Of the nation.
We greatly need a more complete
inventory of our natural resources, and
this cannot be made except through the
active cooperation of the states with
the nation.
The permanent welfare of the nation
demands that it's natural resources be
conserved by proper use. To this end
the states and the nation can do much
by legislation and example. BY far
the greater part of these resources is
in private hands. Private ownership
of natural resources is a public trust.
They should be administered in the
interests of the people as a whole.
The states and nation should lead
rather than follow In the conservative
and efficient use of property under
their immediate control. But their
first duty is to gather and distribute a
knowledge of our natural
md of tho maanS nnceSSarY to insure