Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-23
(By Associated Press.)

dent Roosevelt's message, dealing
with the report of the national con-
servation commission, was read in
both houses of congress. 1t reads,
in part, as follows:
To the Senate and House of Repre-.
sentatives:
| transmit herewith a report of
the national conservation commits
sion, together with the accompany
ing papers. This report, which is the
outgrOwth of the conference of gov
ernors last may, was unanimously
approved by the recent Joint confer
ence held in this city between the
national conservation commission
and governors of states, state conser-
vation commissions, and conservation
committees of great organizations of
citizens. 1t is therefore in a peculiar
sense representative of the whole ma
tion and all its parts.
sions of this report l heartily con-
cur, and | commend it to the
thoughtful consideration both of the
congress and of our people generally.
1t is one of the most fundamentally
important documents ever laid be-
foe the American people. 1t contains
tlar1irst inventory of its natural re-
sources ever made by any nation. In
condensed form it presents a state
ment of our available capital in ma
terial resources, which are the means
of progress, and call attention to the
perpetuity, safety, and welfare of
this nation now rests and must al
ways continue to rest. 1t deserves,
and should have, the widest possible
distribution among the people.
The facts set forth in this report
constitute an imperative call to ac-
: tion. The situation they disclose de-
mands that we, neglecting for time,
if need be, smaller and less vital
questions, shall concentrate an effec-
tive part of our attention upon the
great material foundations of ma
tional existence, progress, and pros
perity.
We know now that our rivers can
and should be made to serve our
people effectively in transportation,
but that the vast expenditures for
our waterways have not resulted in
maintaining, much less in promoting,
inland navigation. Therefore, let us
take immediate steps to ascertain
the reasons and to prepare and adopt
a 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 forests are fast disap-
pearing, that less than one-ffth of
them are being conserved, and that
no good purpose can be met by fail
ing to provide the relative small
sums needed for the protection, use,
and improvement of all forests still
owned by the government, and to en-
act laws to check the wasteful de-
struction OF the forests in private
hands. There are differences of
opinion as to many public questions;
but the American people stand near
ly as a unit for waterway develop
ment and for forest protection.
LIFE AND LIBERTY.
know now that our mineral re-
sources once exhausted are gone for
ever. and that the needless waste OF
them costs up hundreds OF human
lives and nearly s300.OO0.Ooo.
Therefore. let us undertake without
delay the Investigations necessary
before our people will be In position,
through state action or otherwise. 90
put an end to this huEe loss aud
waste. and conserve both our min
eral resources and the lives Of the
men Who take them from the earth
Tho rights To life and liberty are
fundamental and like other funda-
mental necessities. when once ae'
aulrrd. they are little dwels upon.
The flwht 40 the pursuit % happi-