The Springfield herald., 1909-01-29

cations Of citizenship-Urgent Need
for the Development Of the coun-
try's Water Power.
The report of the national conservation
commission and accompanying papers.
President Roosevelt also sent n message
to congress. The following Is com
prehensive synopsis of the document:
The president declares his entire con-
currence with the statements and con-
clusions of the report and proceeds.
1T is one of the most fundamentally
Important documents ever laid before the
American people 1t contains the first in
ventory of its natural resources ever
made by any nation. In condensed form
II presents n statement of our available
capital in material resources. which are
the means of progress. and calls atten-
uon to the essential conditions upon
which the perpetuity. safety and welfare
of this nation now rest and must always
continue to rest.
The facts set forth In this report con-
stitute an imperative call to action. The
situation they disclose demands that we,
neglecting 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 n firm and lasting foundation of mate
rial well-being. In this respect our situ-
alton 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 concern. 1t would
be unworthy of our history and our in
telligence. 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 rep
resentatives. do not advise hasty or ILL
considered action on disputed points. but
do urge. where the facts known.
where the public interest is clear. that
neither Indifference and inertia, nor ad-
verse private interests. shall be allowed
10 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-fifth to Its numbers
in ten years. and that by the middle of
the present century perhaps l5o.oco.ooo
Americans. and by its end very many
millions more. must be fed and clothed
from the products of our SOIL
We know now that our rivers can and
should be made to serve our people eff
fectively 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 for
ests are fast disappearing. that less than
one-fifth OF them 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 to enact laws to
check the wasteful destruction of the for
ests in private hands.
I'VE know now that our mineral re-
sources once exhausted are gone for
ever. and that the needless waste of
them costs us hundreds of human lives
and nearly $500. 100000 n year. Therefore.
let us undertake without delay the in
vestigations necessary before our people
will be in position. through state action
or otherwise, to put an end to 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; it has sought, but has
/ not been able. to achieve. others; 1t
has doubtless made mistakes: but all
It has done attempted has been in
the single. consistent effort to Sc
tunities of the men and women of the
| United States. We are trying to con-
serve what is good in social sys-
/ tenn, and are striving toward this
end when we endeavor to do away with
| what is bad. Success may be made too
/ hard for some II 1t is made 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. undesir
! able are permitted to become too
] large. Our aim is far possible
| to provide such conditions that there
| shall be equality of opportunity where
| there is equality of energy. fidelity and
| intelligence; when there is n reason
/ able equality of opportunity the dis
tribution of rewards will take care
/ of itself.
"The unchecked existence of monop-
oily is Incompatible with equality of
| opportunity The reason. for the ex-
/ ercise of government control over great
monopolies is to equalize opportunity.
/ We are fighting against privilege. 1t
was made unlawful for corporations
to contribute money for election eN-
penses in order to abrldge the power
/ of special privilege at the polls. Rail
road rate control is an attempt to So
! cure an equality of opportunity for all
! men affected by rail trans portntion:
and that means all of us The great
I anthracite coal strike was settled. and
the pressing danger of a coal famine
averted. because we recognized that
ALL IN TWAiN's IMAGINATION.