The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-04-03

the means taken to accomplish that end
must be wise. 1t follows further t1at oui
government cannot be wise unless Its poll
Iles and practices are Kept apace Win
the progress of the people and readlly
adapt themselves to new con6 a mis- anu ~
sny other government, by reason OF al
terence to outworn policies, refuses 70
change its concepts when such change y
demanded by ma tural laws and physical
conditions. that government must faii OIL
its prime purpose.
established our present form Of govern,
ment. the real purpose accomplished
thereby was the orderly arrangement OF
means and expedients by which the union
of the states might be made more stabie
1t was essentially an agreement WHEREBY
there might be accomplished an efficient
common defense, and a mutually beneh-
cial Industrial and social relation IN
other words the instrument known as tn ne
foster, and to protect the bases or union
among the states, and if that instrument
had not satisfied all the purposes In view
the government would have failed.
With the subsequent growth OF the
country and the progress OF the people.
were recognized, fostered, and protected,
either by statutory enactment or by con-
tstitutional amendment.
All OF this is based upon the principle
of "The greatest good to the greatest
number and so successful has been the
application of this principle. that to-day
which, in every feature, has been but the
wise and patriotic response of the govern
rment to the necessities of the people as a
whole, and not to the demands OF a
REASON FOR THE MISSISSIPPI
ATLANTIC.
1t has become clear to you and to those
whom you represent that the government,
in one respect at least, is in state OF
hesitation, and 1t is your purpose to en-
deavor to bring about a change in the
policies so that failure in this respect may
be avoided. The condition in which you
ca De hn ~ nTz0n n c
and policies which, at former period,
amply met the demands of the time but
which teda y6s far SHORT tho OF that wSa
development OF inland waterways. That
demand is reasonable. righteous, and
without a thorough change in federal
policies, there can be little or. no intelli-
gent compliance with your wishes. There
necessary, and the question Immediately
before us is, not how to meet specifically
and to satisfy your demands lem eds but how to
ment so that the fulfilIment of your pur-
poses may be an inevitable result.
CONSERVATION.
The American people are awakening to
the fact that a new bond of union has
arisenthe conservation and development
of natural resources. Heretofore we have
enormous as to obviate the necessity for
considering the extent of our available
supplies. Of those materials and sources OF
ance and prosperity. Consequently, we
have wasted and devastated them to an
take account of stock and see just where
we stand. We are In a condition in
which we must realize, as we have never
before found 1t necessary to realize, that
this country is not made Up of separate
units, each independent of the other, and
each contending for its. prior rights but
that each unit must look to the others for
assistance in maintaining its prosperity
and providing for its continuance Here
have actually merged all their interests
only in response to the demands of some
common necessity. War is the principal
thing that has heretofore brought US to-
gether in the defense of our common
rights. and when these have been sue
o oeSsfG dns DEFENDED we have returned to
large part of our time in defending our
local and sectional rights. So busy have
the states been in defending their rights
that they have largely forgotten to take
advantage of their privileges. Whether OF
not this policy has been wise, it is un-
important, for the past is dead. Let us
consider the present and the future
The facts are that we have. in the con-
servation and the development of natura
resources, manifold duties and privileges
all OF which make us more independent
one upon the other. The people bf the
coal region; for example, should no longer
sary to the life. and the comfort of the
whole people. and the whole people have
right, IN ordinary humanity and com
mon justice, to demand and assist in the
preservation and economical utilization Of
coal. II Is given to the farmer to so con-
region, and those in other avocations lily.
ing in towns and cities, may be assured
the f0S Sos SUPPLY ngaS. s and the
ment OF the principle that the soil of this
country shall not be impoverished and
made unproduetive, We might extend
zation involving the utilization of natura
resources, and the result would be the
has astonished the world. has been made
possible only by eating into our capital
Every sensible man knows the futility o.
such practice. 1t affords no satisfaction
to the American citizen to acknowledge
that ''of all the sinful MASTERS of mans
the people of America" 1t gives ms nr
satisfaction to acknowledge this-but &C.
knowledge 1t we must. for facts are facts
The other great nations of the world know
the facts and they know that if we do
not change our practices this nation vii
one day appear at their doors and say: g
have preyed upon the fairness of my in.
heritance; have consumed. as with fire
that which was set apart for my susie.
nance; and now / pray thee, give me %
thy great store that ! may live" And
those great nations which have from early
times con served their resources and vhici
have at hand great store will determine
great fundamental question before on
people to-day is shall this nation becom,
Lazarus at the rich hans gate?
We must grasp this new bond of union
which shall make us far more interdapan
dent. The links Of the chain that hav.
heretofore bound us together have beer
strong and enduring; but. compared witt
the bond that shall now knit this country
into hoTogeneitv. II shall appear as Tgh
and frain as the Eossamer of a cohweh
NEED OF NEW LEGISLATION.
But all Of this requires new coucrpts
new policies. and new legisIa ton. marked
" different from that which has sufficeC
IN the past. Barring a few acts that have
been put upon our statute records all GU,
legislation has been enacted to meet ops
or another immediate need. The charac,
Ter Of our problem and the bonds of ON
Union have not been such as to reouir.
more legislative foresight than has beer
exercised. It has been fairly sufficient II
provide this or that remedial measure
or that or the other emergency legisIa.
tfon. when thenCPd for II has become an
parent or expressing But. we are nov
confronted with problems that cannot h,
solved by legislation Of this chara Cte-. Ir
framing our new legislation. II will h,
necessary 70 look ahead many generations
because the successful working out n
our many problems must require sur.
Cessive years Of fort. along a well con.
ceived plan. We cannot proceed for :
few years on one policy and then throw
IL aside Sor another without going bach
to the beginning We must deal with con.
ditions and forces that are absolutely
governed by nature and natures Ia W.
and not by men. All the earth and rhC
fullness thereof is the result of orferIy
exertior ~ natural forces each rhase ~