The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-19
THE CoNsERVATToN QUESTION.

Much of the discussion which has
been SO generally INDUCED in of late
on the big subject of the conservation of
| the natural resources of the United
States and its possessions has been of
the kind to befog the real situation. A
virile utterance on this important sub
ject appears in the current issue Of the
Journal of Geography, a Chicago pub
LEGATION. It is from the pen of Profess
sor Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin,
the dean of American biologists and
one of the foremost scientists and
economic writer's and thinkers of the
day. Professor Chamberlain is at the
head of the department of geology in
the University of Chicago and was ap-
pointed by President Roosevelt on the
original conservation commission. His
editorial on the conservation question
follows:
Most good causes as they come into
popular favor, suffer from diversions,
if not perversions, in the interest OF
other causes. Just now the good cause
of the conservation of natural re-
sources has reason to file a protest
against being made the victim of the
old device of promoting a weaker is
sue by perverted use of the popular
ity of the stronger one. After a nor
NAL growth of two decades under the
scientific guidance of the national Geo.
logical Survey, the doctrine of conser-
walton has recently blossomed out into
wide popular favor. This special bios
soming has not been without artificial
fertilizers from other than strictly sci
entific sources. but that need count
o
be left to lead on to natural fruitage
without hybridization. Now. however,
come diversions and perversions. The
protection of natural values against
wastage is one thing, the possession of
these values is quite another thing.
The best conservation may not be cor
related with the best ownership, all
things considered. Ownership, desir-
able on other accounts. may be an OBJ
stacle to conservation. and ownership,
otherwise undesirable, may be tribu-
tary to conservation. This is so be-
cause, in their fundamental nature,
the problems of conservation and the
problems of possession are distinct
questions. each to be solved in it's own
way and on its own basis. They center
in separate fields. The conservation
of natural resources centers in the sci
entific and the technical: the right of
ownership and the most desirable dis
| tribution of ownership center in the
political and sociological. The best
conservation of the soil is, not necessar-
| lily dependent on the most desirable
partition of the land. The small far
mer often impoverishes his farm. while
the estate of the millionaire fattens I'M
der scientific management To divide
Alaska into 100000 moieties and
give each of us one, would not settle
the problem of the highest utilization
of the Alaskan resources. To form an
absolute monopoly with 90,00O,O 900
stockholders-call it government" or
otherwise, as you please-would still
leave the problem of conservation I'M
| touched. To permit fewer individuals
and more corporations to pay the price
and divide the ownership. in accord
ance with our present practice, how
/ ever proportioned, would equally leave
the problem of conservation to. be
worked out on its own grounds. And
so. though in like manner all questions
of the possession and distribution of
values be marshaled under extreme in
dividuality, extreme monopoly, or some
combinations of individuals and cor
porations lying between these ex-
atremes. all are alike political and SO