The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-06

rious danger that the progress already |
made would be lost. At this critical
moment the National Conservation |
association was organized. 1t took up
the work which otherwise would not
have been done, and it exercised a
most useful influence in preventing
bad legislation, in securing the in
PRODUCTION of better conservation meas
ures at the past session of congress,
and in promoting the passage of wise
laws. 1t deserves the confidence and
support of every citizen interested in
the wise development and preservation
of our natural resources, and in pre-
venting them from passing into the
hands of uncontrolled monopolies. 1t
joins with the national conservation
congress in holding this meeting.
am here by the joint invitation of
both.
Pan-American Conservation.
When the government Of the United
States awoke TO the idea OF conserva-
ton and saw that it was good, it lost
no time in communicating the advan-
tages of the new point of view to Its
immediate neighbors among the ma
lions. A North American conservation
conference was held in Washington,
and the cooperation of Canada and
Mexico in the great problem of devei-
oping the resources of the continent
for the benefit of its people was asked
and promised. The nations upon our
northern and southern boundaries wise
Iy realized that their opportunity 10
conserve the natural resources was bet
ter than ours, because with them de-
struction and monopolization had not
gone SO far as they had with US. 50
it is with the republics of Central and
South America. Obviously they are on
| the verge of a period of great material
progress. The development OF their
| natural resources-their forests, their
| mines, their water and their soils-wiil
create enormous wealth. 1t is to the
| mutual interest of the United States
| and our sister American republics that
| this development should be wisely done.
| Our manufacturing industries OFFER a
| market for more and more of their nat
.ural wealth and raw material While
l'they will increasingly desire to meet
! that demand in commercial exchange.
| The more we buy from them, the more
! we shall sell to them. Their prosperity
is inseparably involved with our own,
Thank Heaven, we of this continent
are now beginning to realize, what In
| the end the whole world will realize
that normally it is a good thing for
| a nation to have it's neighbor nations
| prosper. We of the United States are
| genuinely and heartily pleased to see
growth and prosperity in Canada, IL
Mexico, in South America.
1t is clear that unless the govern
ments of our southern neighbors take
steps in the near future by wise leg1s.
| laI1On TO COHITOi Tie dcNCiOPiiiCiAI eAA.S
use of their natural resources, they will
probably fall into the hands OF con
cessionaries and promoters, whose sin
gle purpose, without regard to the per
manent welfare of the land in which
they work, will be to make the mos
possible money in the shortest possible
time. There will be shameful waste
destructive loss and short sighted dis
| regard of the future. as we have learned
by bitter experience here at home.
J, Unless the governments Of all tn
American republics, including our own
enact in time such laws as will bot
protect their natural wealth ana pro
{ mote their legitimate and reasonabl
! DEVELOPMENT future generations vii
, | owe their misfortuneS to us OF today
A great patriotic duty calls upon us
we owe it to ourselves and to them t
give the American republics all the hel
, we can. The cases in which we hav
failed should be no less instructive tina
> the cases in which we have succeeded
With prompt action and good will tn
: task of saving the resources for tn
people is full of hope for us all.
Q State and Federal Control.
: But while We of the United State
s are anxious, as l believe we are able
9 to be of assistance to others, there ar
g problems of our own which we mus
t not overlook. One of the most i'm
e portant conservation questions of tn
s moment relates to the control of waite
: power monopoly in the public interes
: There is apparent to the judicious oh
Ii server a distinct tendency on the pal
n of our opponents to cloud the issue b