The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-22

neglectlng for time, II need be- smaller
and less vital questions, shall concentrate
an effective part OF our attention upon
the great material foundations OF ma
tional existence, progress. and prosperity,
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
on a firm and lasting foundation OF mate
rial well being. la this respect our situ-
alton Is far from satisfactory. After
every possible allowance has been made.
and when every hopeful indication has
been given It's full weight, the facts stlll
give reason for grave concern. II would
be unworthy Of our history and our in
telligence, and disastrous to our future.
Go shut our eyes to these facts or at
tempt to laugh them out OF court The
people should and viii rightly demand
that the great fundamental questions
shall he given attention by their rep
resentatlves. 1 do not advise hasty OF N
considered action on disputed points, but
! do urge where the facts are known,
where the public interest Is clear, that
ineither indifference and Inertia, nor ad-
verse private interests. shall be allowed
to stand In the way OF the public good
THE great basic facts are already well
known We know that our population Is
now adding about one-nfth 10 It's numbers
III Nfll gfalHt anu llluA DN NIlt Hluult Oi
the present century perhaps l50 900, 900
Americans. and by its end very many
millions more, must be fed and clothed
from the products OF our soil
I'VE know now that our rivers can and
should be made to serve car people ef-
fectively In transportation, but that the
vast expenditures for our waterways
have not resulted In maintaining, much
less In promoting inland navigation.
Therefore. let ms take immediate steps to
ascertain the reasons and TO prepare and
adopt comprehensive plan for Inland
waterway navigation that will result In
giving the people the benefits for which
they have paid but which they have not
yet received. We know now that our for
ests are fast disappearing. that less than
one-iifth OF them are being conserved,
and that no good purpose can be met by
failing TO provide the relatively small
sums needed for the protection, use, and
Improvement OF all forests still owned by
the government, and 10 enact laws to
check the wasteful destruction OF the for
ests In private hands There are differ
ences Of opinion as to many public ques-
tiOns: but the American people stand
nearly as a unE for waterway develop
ment and for forest protection.
I'VE Know now that our mineral re-
sources once exhausted are gone for
ever, and that the aeedless waste OF
them COSTS uS hundreds or human lives
and nearly $500, ,O000 QUO a year. Therefore,
let us undertake without delay the in
vestigatlons necessary before our people
will be In position through state action
OF otherwise 10 put an end 10 this huge
loss and waste. and conserve both our
mineral resources and the lives OF the
men who take them from the earth.
This administration has achieved
some things; IL has sought but has
not been able, TO achieve. others; II
| has doubtless made mistakes; but all
| II has done or attempted has been Ia
| the single. consistent effort to Sc
cure and enlarge the rights aud oppoT
| tunities Of the men and women OF the
| United states. We are trying 10 con
serve what Is good ia our social sys-
tenn, and we are striving toward this
| end when we endeaYor To do away with
what Is bad, Success may be made too
| hard for some IL it Is male too easy
| for others, The rewards OF common
Industry and thrift may be too small
II the rewards for others, and on the
| whole less valuable Qualities. are
made too large. and especially II the
| rewards for qualities which are really
! from the public standpoint. undeslr-
| able. are permitted to become toe
| large. Our aim IL so far as posslbl,
| 20 provide such conditions that ther,
shall be equality OF opportunity whar,
| there Is equality of energy hdelity ano
| Intelligence; when there rs reason
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