Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-04-27

tions fastened to the land of
equality and opportunity. Settle
m6nt stretched across the continent
and nature yielded its richest gifts
to man.
In the south the cultivation OF
cotton became general Il seemed
to require for its success slave
labor. Economic conditions for a
time caused the nation TO forget the
principle upon which it was found
ed out bloody war cOnsecrated it
anew to its ideals.
The. second crisis of our national
history is past and at the end of
that struggle the country was
burdened with debt, the industries
paralyz9d and the great mass Of
the people lef6 without employment.
A few years of peace brought the
most wonderful progress to this
nation the world has ever seen.
Private enterprises reached out in
every direction and the products of
the mine, the forest, the soil, and
the factory brought unheard of
wealth to the fair and general pros
perity to the mass of the people
To day this country stands at the
head in every phase of economic
development.
Will this prosperity endure? Will
the causes which have produced it
continue or is there danger of retro
gression9 The prime cause of our
economic progress has been our
unexampled natural resources.
The land seemed to hold mex
haustible mines of coal, limitless
forests and fertility of soil. Private
enterprise reached out and develop
ed them for private gain and gradual
ly, out of the very causes which led
to out wonderful development has
come forth our gres I danger.
Danger to a country comes from
within as well as from without and
although it may be political or
economic danger it can be as vital
and destructive as any that arises
from clash of arms Iii the first
great crisis IN our history people
from without tried TO check our
destiny by refusing us liberty.
Another such attempt has become
impossible. II there be danger it S
not from an external source. In
the second great crisis, a portion OF
our own people strove for an end
which would have checked their
progress. Because of the moral
progress of our people we need
never fear another such attempt.
A third crisis has come upon us
unawares 1t is an economic crisis.
Our whole people from lack of fore
sight seemed to have united to de-
prive the nation of the great natural
resources without which it can not
undure. There is a pressing danger
now and not the least to which our
national life has been exposed. A
nation deprived of liberty, may win
it. A nation divided, may unite,
but a nation whose natural re-
sources are gone must pay the
penalty by poverty, degradation
and ruin.
The five essential materials in our
lilo 1AO OOdlf WOO0a O4I'
waterpower, and soil.
Coal was first sold in the United
States In 1880 and with the advance
in manufacturing has become the
prime necessity of Industrial life
and no less necessity to personal
life of the people. Five tons per
person is now annually mined In
the United States and under modern
conditions coal shortage means gen
eral and immediate suffering of the
masses and industrial para ysis.
The present supply in this country
is entirely controlled by individual
capital and monopoly and the same
interests are now reaching out to
gain the governments great Alask-
an coal lands which will yield bill
lions of tons, for their future use.
Estimates credit us with possessing
enough to last 70 years. China has
the bulk of the coal still remain
ing in the world but she will need
it all on her own expanding enter
prises. We are close on the heels
of Great Britain whose manufact-
uring industries have already been
checked from failing production.
1t is the same with forests. The
apparently limitless supply is now
nearly exhausted. Private enter
prise was allowed to step in and by
land grants and gifts and by pur-
chase at nominal figures secured in
estimable benlfits. The barren
stump lands of our own state testify
to their waste and lands which
should now have new forests are
worthless. The demand for timber
has increased twice as fast as our
population and the present supply
cannot last longer that thirty years
at present rate Of cutting. Three
fourths of the present supply Is
now owned by the lumber corpora
tions and there IS no effort on their
part to replant them.
Coal oil and natural gas perhaps
more than anything else is CONTROL