Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919, May 13, 1908, Image 8

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Daily capital journal., May 13, 1908, Page 8, Image 8

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Newspaper Page TextUAttlf OJUKWAL JOuWC AU tAUMi tmudOtt. WmdnpAy, ftU n, ltoi MldMWhyB Roosevelt On the Preservation of Resol ft j& TALKS TO MAMMOTH CONGRESS OFPUBLIGOFFKMLS JU8TIGN HHAN OltKOON ItKl'IlK 8ENTATIVB POINTS OUT DAN GBR OF HX1IAUBTION OF RE SOURCES SUGGESTS REMEDY. (United Press Leased Wire.) WnHhltiBton, D. C, May 13. The groat conference of governors and prominont men and other state oin cjnla called by tho Preoldont to con sldor tho natural ro30urcoB of tho ontlro nation, and the nroaorvatlon of the water, coal, tirnbor and tnlnoral wealth, In In nosalon hero. Clilof Jus tice R. S. Bonn la attending ns tho. sole olllclnl from Oroson. Pretildout RoorovoU nddrensed tho mammoth mooting as follews: 'RoobovuU'm Speech. Oovornorj of tha Bcvcral Btntnf nnd gontletnon: I wolcomo you to tills conforonc. at tho Whlto IIoubo. You havo como hltUor at my roquonl no that wo may Join togothor to consider the ques tion of tho eonuorvatlon ntul uso of tho groat fundnmoutnl sources of woalth of this nation. So vital is thin question, that for tho first time In our hl.dory tho chief executive ofllcora of tho states Bopnrntoly, nnd of tho utatcs together forming tho nation, havo mot to consider It. With tho govornors como mon from each Btnto choson for tholr special acqunlntanco with tho tortus of tho prohlom that la boforo us. Among thorn nro oxporta In natural rooourcoa nnd roprosontatlvoB of na tion nil organizations ooncomed In tho development and uvo of theso ro nourrns; tho uonatorn nnd roprceon Utlrou In congroas; tho uupromo court, tho cabinet, and tho Inland "vVatorwayB commission havo llko wIbo boon Invited to the vonferouco, which la theroforo national In a pe culiar sonso. Ulgircut Problem. Thla conforouco on tho conserva tion of natural rosourcos la In effect a mooting of tho roproaontntlvos of all tho ponplo of tho Unltod Stntoa enllod to coiisldor the weightiest problom now boforo tho untlon; and tho oocaMon for tho mooting Hob In tho fact that tho natural rotjourcoa of our country nro In dnngor of oxIiomb tlon It wo permit tho old wnstoful raothods of exploiting them longor to continue With tho rlao of pooplen from sav agery to civilization, and with tho tfonnoqmnl growth in tho oxtont and vnrioty of. tho noods of tho avorngo man, tlioro comoa a Bteadlly incroas lug growth of tho amount domanded by thla urcrago man from the actual roaourcen of tho country. Yet, rath er curiously, at tho en mo time tho nvorugo man la apt to lone his re alization of this dependence upon nature Bavugofl, and Tory primitive peo ploa gonorally, concorn tfioniBolvcs only with ouporflolnl natural ro jiourooa; with thosa which they ob tain from tho r.ctual eurfacc of tho ground, As people bcomo a llttlo leas primitive their induotrloa, al though in a rude manner, aro ex tended to resources bolow tho our face; then, with what we call civi lization and tho extension of know ledge, mora resourccB come into use, Industries are multlpltod, and foro eight begins to become a necessary and prominent factor In life. Crops aro cultivated; animate aro domesti cated; and mntnla aro mautorcd. Every step of tho progress of man kind is marked by the discovery nnd us of natural resourcoi previously unused. Without Much progressive knowledge and utilization of natural voaourccB iopulatlon could not groWi nor iuductrles multiply, uor tho hid den wealth of the earth bo developed for -the beuofit of mankind. From tho first beginnings of civi lization, on the bank? of tho Nile mdro' space has boon actually cov ered during tho contrury and n quar tet occupied by our national llfo than during tho preceding six thousand ypnrs'that tako us back to .tho earl iest monumonts of Egypt to tho earl iest cities of tho Babylonian plain. Rmllnicntfl Unchanged. When tho foundora of this nation mot at Independence Hall In Phila delphia tho conditions of commorco had not fundamentally changed from what thoy woro when tho Phoenician keolB first furrowed tho lonely wa ters of tjho Mediterranean. fr,ho differences wero Choso of degreo, not of kind, nnd thoy woro not In nil ensea even those of dogreo. Mining was carried on fundamentally as it had boon carried on by tho Phnraoho In tho countries adjacent to tho Red Sea. Tho wares of tho merchants of Bos ton, of Charleston, llko tho wares of tho morchants of NIovoh and SI don, if thoy wont by water, woro carried by boats propelled by sailB or ohm; If thoy wont by land wero car ried In wagons drawn by beasts of draft or In packs on tho backs of bensts of burden. Tho ships thnt crossod tho high sons woro bottor than tho ships thnt had onco crossed tho Aegean, but thoy woro of tho B'atno typo, after nil thoy woro wooden ships propelled by Galls; and on land, tho roads woro not as good as tho roads of tho Ro man Emplro, whllo tho sorvlco of tho posts was probably Inferior. In Washington's tltno anthracite roal was known only as a useloas black stono;nnd tho great ftolds of bituminous coal wero undiscovered, As steam was unknown, tin use of coal for powor production wna nn drenmod of. Water wns practically tho only sourco of power, savo tho labor of mon and animals; and this power was used only In tho most prlmltivo fashion. But a fow small Iron deposits had been found In this country, nnd tho uso of Iron by our countrymen was vory smnll. ' Wood was practically tho only fuel, nnd whnt lutnbor was sawed was con sumed locally, whllo tho foroBts wero rogarded chiefly as obstructions to settlement nnd cultivation. Such wns tho degreo of progress to which civilized mankind hnd at tained when this nntlon bogan its career. It is almost lmposslbo for us In this day to roallzo how llttlo our Rovolutlonnry ancestors know of tho gront Btoro of natural resources whoso dlscovory and uso hnvo boon ubo, onco moro calls for common ef fort, common action. Slnco tho dnyB when tho constitu tion wns adopted, Btoam nnd oloc trlclty hnvo revolutionized tho in dustrial world. Nowhere has tho rovolutlon been so groat ns in our own country. Tho discovery nnd uti lization of mineral fuels and alloys havo given ub tho lend over all other nation's In tho production of stool, Tho discovery and utilization of eonl and iron havo glvon us or railways, and hav.o'lod to Biich Industrial de velopment as has novor boforo boon aeon. Tho vast wealth of lumber In our forests, tho rlchos of our Bolls and mines, tho dlBcovory of gold'nnd mineral oils, combined with tho cf flconcy of our transportation, hnvo mndo tho conditions of our llfo un paralleled in comfort nnd conven ience. Tho steadily Increasing drain on thoso hatiural resources has promot ed to nn oxtrnordlnary degree tho complexity of our Industrial and so cial llfo. Moreovor, this unoxamplod dovolopmont has hnd a determining effect upon tho chnraotor nnd opin ions of our people. Tho demand for efficiency In tho great tnsk has given us vigor, effectiveness, decision, nnd powor, and -a capacity for achieve ment which in Its own linoa has lngly ns thoy are or are not capable of renewal. Mines if usod must necessarily bo exhausted. ' Tho min erals do not nnd can not renew them selves. Theroforo In dealing with tho coal, the oil, tho gas, tho iron, tho nJetals generally, all that wo can do Is to try to see that thoy are wlso ly usod. THE EXHAUSTION IS CERTAIN TO COME In tltno. Tho second class of resources con sists -or thoso which can not only 'bo used In such innnnor as id lenvo them undiminished for our children, but can actually bo improved by wise use. Tho Boil, tho forests, tho waterways como In this category. In dealing with mtneral resources, man Is ablo to improvo on nature only by putting tho roaources to a bon cilclnl uso which In tho ond exhausts them; but In dealing with tho soil nnd Its products man can Improve on naturo by compelling tho re sources to ronow and ovon recon struct themselves In Buch mnnnor as to servo increasingly beneficial UB03 whllo tho living waters can bo so controlled as to multiply their benefits. Neither tho prlmltivo man nor tho pioneer wns awaro of any duty to posterity in dealing with tho ronow ablo resources. When tho Amorlcnn Bottler felled tho forests, ho folt that novor yet boon mntchod. So groat J thoro was plenty of forest loft for nnd so rapid has boon our material growth that thero has boon a ten dency to lag behind In spiritual nnd mornl growth; but that is not the subject upon which I Bponk to you today. ProtqKTlty Depcnda on Resources. Disregarding for tho moment tho question of mornl purpose, It Is Bnfo to say that- tho prosperity of our people depends directly on tho en ergy and intelligence with which our natural resources nro usod. It Is equnlly clear that theeo resources aro tho final basis of national pow er nnd porpotulty. Finally, It Is ominously ovldont that theso re sources aro in tho courso of rapid exhaustion. Limit Ih Sight. Thla nation bogan with tho bollof thnt Its lnndcd possessions woro II r TilMITAHIiE and cnpable of support ing all tho people who might care to mako our country tholr home; but already tho MMIT OF UNSET TLED LAND IS IN SIGHT, and in deed but llttlo land fitted for agrl culturo now rotnnlns unoccupied savo what can bo roclnlmed by irri gation and dralnngo. Wo bogan with such vital factors in tho growth nnd nn unnpproachod horltago of forosta; groatnoss of this nation, and how moro thnn half of tho tlmbor Is go no. llttlo thoy roqulred to tnko from this, Wo bogan with coal fields moro ox Btoro in ordor to satisfy tholr needs, tonslvo than thoso of any othor na Slnco thon our knowlodgo and! tlon and with Iron ores regarded ns USE OF THE RESOURCES of tho Inoxhaustlblo, and many prosont torrltory of tho United States HAVE INCREASED A HUN DRED FOLD. Indeed, tho growth of this nation by leaps nnd bounds mnkos one of tho most striking and Important chapters in tho history of exports of both now declare that tho ond Iron and coal Is In sight. Consumption Increased. Tho moro Increase In our con sumption of coal during 1907 ovor 1000 oxeceded tho total consumption tho world. Its growth has boon duo In 1870, tho contonml year. Tho to tho rapid dovolopmont, and alas! J onprmouB Btoroa of mlnornl oil nnd thnt It should bo- said, to tho rapid destruction, of our natural re sources. Nnturo haB Buppllod to ub In tho Unltod States, nnd still sup plies to us, moro kindB of rosourcos In n moro lavish dogreo than has over been tho cnao at any othor time or with uny othor people Our posi tion in tho world has bcon nttalnod by tho oxtont and thoroughness of tho control wo hnvo achlov.ed ovor naturo; but wo aro moro, and not less, dependent upon what she furn ishes than at any provloua tlmo of hlqtory since tho days of prlmltivo man, Yot our fathers, though they know so llttlo of tho resources, of tho country, oxorclsod a wise fore thought In reference thereto, Wash ington cloarly saw that tho porpot ulty of tho states could only bo se cured by union, and that tho only feasible basis of union wns an econ omic ono, It was In Philadelphia that representatives of all tho states mot for whnt was In Ub original con ception merely a watorway confer ence; but whon thoy had closed their deliberations tho outcomo was tho constitution which mndo 'tho Btatos into a nation. Discuss Constitution. gas aro largoly gono. Our natural waterways are not gono, hut thoy hnvo been so injured by noglcct, nnd by tho division of responsibility nnd utter lnck of oyGtcm in dealing with thorn, thnt thoro is loss navigation on them now thnn thoro wns CO yonfs ago, Flnnlly, wo bogan with soils of unoxnmpled fortuity nnd wo havo bo Impoverished them by in judicious iubo nnd by falling to chock oroslon that their crop producing powor la diminishing instead of in creasing. In a word, wo hnvo thoughtlessly, and to a largo dogreo unnecessarily, diminished tho re sources upon which not only our prosporlty but tho prosperity of our children must nlwnys depend. Resources Used Up, Then Wo havo becomb great becauso of tho lavish uso of our resources and wo havo Just reason to bo proud of our growth. But tho tlmo has como to Inquire sorlously what will hap- tho pon when our forosts nro gono, whon tho coal, tho lroni tho oil, nnd tho gas aro exhausted, when the soils shnll havo beon still further impov orlshod and washed Into tho streams, 'polluting tho rlvors, denuding tho Holds, and obstructing navigation. Thoso questions do not rolato only to tho next century or to the next gen eration. IT -IB TIME for ua now I Tho constitution of tho United States thus grow In Jnrgo part out. as a nation to exerclso the samo roa of tho necosslty for united nctlon in.sonnblo foresight In dealing with our tho wlso uso of ono of our natural ro-J great natural resources that would sources. Tho wlso use of all our bo ehown by any prudent mnn In natural resources, which aro our na- conserving and widely using tho uud the Euphrates, tho Industrial, tional rosourcos as woll, Is tho groat proporty which contains the assur progrcsa of the world has gone on material question of today. I havo anco of well-being for himself and slowly, with occasional setbacks, asked you to como together now be- bis children, but on tho whole Bteadlly, through causo tho onormuos consumption of, Exhaustion Certain. tens of centuries to the present day, these resources, and the threat of Tho natural resources I havo cnu- our natural resources, whether that But of late tho rapidity of tho 'pro- tmmlnout oxhauation of somo of moratod can bo divided Into two'wasto is caused by tho actual de cM has Increased at such a rata that them, due to recklew ami wasteful sharply distinguished classes accord- structlon of such resources or by tho bohs who enmo nftor him. Whon liq exhausted tho soil of his farm ho folt tiat his son could go west nnd tnko up another. So It wnB with his Immcdlnto successors. Whon tho Boll-wash from tho farmer's flolds choked tho neighboring rlvor ho thought only of using tho railway rather than boats for moving his produce and. supplies. Fonrht Fnmluo Passed. Now all this Is changed. On tho nvorago tho son of tho farmer of to day muBt mako his living on his father's farm. Thoro l no dlflloulty In doing thla If tho fathor will ex erclso wisdom. No wlso uso of n farm oxhnttutB Its fertility. So with tho forests. Wo aro ovor tho vorgo of a tlmbor famino In this country, and It 1b unpardonable for tho nn tlon or tho atntos to pormlt any fnr thor cutting of our tlmbor savo In accordance with a Byatom which will provldo that tho next genorntlon ihn.ll see tho timber Incroasod in- itoad of diminished. Morovor, wo lean add onormouB tracts of tho most vnluablo posslblo agricultural land to tho nntlonnl domnln by Irrigation in tho arid nnd aomlarld regions nnd by drnlnngo of gront tracts of swamp lands In tho humid regions. Gigunliu Sclkcmo. Wo can onormoualy incrcaso our transportation facilities by tho can nllzntlon'of our rlvors so as to com plete a groat syBtom of waterways on tho Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf consts nnd in tho Mississippi Vnlloy, from tho Groat Plains to tho Alio ghonles nud from tho uorthom lakes to tho mouth of tho mighty Father of Wators. But all thoso vnrloiiB uses of our natural rosourcos aro bo cloBoly connoctcd that thoy should bo coordinated and should bo trcatod as pnrt of ono cohorout plan nnd not in haphazard and plecorneal fashion. It Is largely becauso of this that I nppolntod the Waterways Commls alon last year and that I have sought to porpotuato its work. I wish to tako thla opportunity to ox press In heartiest fashion ray ac knowledgement to nil tho mombors' of tho Commission. At great per sonal sacrifice of tlmo and effort thoy havo rendered a Bervlco to tho public for which wo can not bo too grateful. Plnchot Praised. Especial credit Is due to tho Ini tiative, tho onorgy, tho -devotion to duty nnd tho farsightedness of Glf 'ford Plnchot, to whom wo owe bo much of tho progress wo havo al ready made In handling this matter of tho coordination and conserva tion of natural resources. If It had not been for him thla convention nolther would nor could havo boon called. We are coming to recognize ns novor boforo tho right of the nation to guard Is own future in the es sential matter of natural resources. In i the past wo have admitted tho right of tho Individual to injure the future of tho republic for his own present profit. TnE TIME BIAS COME FOR A CHANGE. Ab a people wo havo tho right and the duty, sec ond to nono other but the right and duty of obeying tho moral law, of requiring and doings justice, to pro tect ourselves and our children against the wasteful development of making thorn impossible of develop ment hereafter. Any right thinking fathor earnest ly desires and strives to-leavo his son both nn untnrlnshod name and a reasonable equipment for tho Btrugglo of llfo. So this nation ub a w'holo Bhould earnestly dcslro 'and strlvo to lenvo to tho next gonora tlon tho national honor unstained nud tho national rcsourcca unex hausted. Thoro are signs that both tho nation nnd tho states nro awak ening to n realization of this great truth. On March 10, 1008, tho su premo court of Maine rendered nn exceedingly important Judicial de cision. This opinion wns rondorcd In response to questions as to tho right of tho legislature to restrict tho cutting of trocs on prlvato land for tho prevention of droughts nnd floods, tho preservation of tho natu ral wntor supply, nnd tho prevention of tho erosion of such lnnds, nud tho consoquont filling up of rlvorB, pondB and lakes. Tho forests and wntor power of Maine coii3tItuto tho lnrgor part of hor wealth nnd form tho basis of hor Industrial llfo, and tho ques tion submitted by tho Maine senate to tho Bupr'omo court and the ans wer of tho supremo court nllko bear testimony to tho wisdom of tho peo ple of Maine, and clearly doflno a policy of conservation of natural re lourccs, tho adoption of which is of vital lmportnuco not merely to Mnlno but to tho wholo country. Right Policy. Such n policy will preserve soil, forests, wntor powor, ns n horltago I for tho children and tho children's children of tho mon and women of this generation; for uny ouactmont that provides for the wlso utilization of tho forests, whethor In public or prlvnto ownership, nnd for tho con servation of tho wntor resources of the country, must ncocsanrlly bo legislation thnt will promote both prlvnto nnd public welfare; for Hood provontlon, wntor powor devel opment, prcsorvntlon of tho soil, nnd Improvement of navigable rlvors are all promoted by ouch a policy of .'orcat conservation, Tho opinion of tho Mnlno bu promo bench sots fort unequivocally tho prlnclplo thnt tho proporty RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL RE SUIJORDINATE TO THE RIGHTS OF THE COMMUNITY, and especially that tho wnsto of wild tlmbor land dorlved originally from tho state, Involving nB It would tho Impoverishment of tho Btnto and Its pooplo and thoroby dofoatlng one great purposo of govornmont, may proporly bo prevented by Btnto re strictions. Tho court says thoro aro two rea iono why tho right of tho public to control and limit tho uso of prlvato proporty Is peculiarly appllcablo to proporty In lnnd: "First, Buch prop orty Is not tho remit of productive 'nbor, but Is dorlved solely from tho stnto Itsolf, tho original owner; sec ond, tho umount of lnnd being In capable of Incrcaso, If tho ownors of lnrgo tracts can wnsto them at will without Btato restriction, tho stato and ita peoplo may bo helplessly Im poverished nnd ono great purposo of government defeated. Wo do not think tho proposed logls latlou would oporato to Hako' prlvato proporty within- tho inhibition of the constitution. WJUlo It might restrict tho' owner of wild nnd uncultivated lauds In his uso of them, might de Iny his taking somo of tho product, might delay his "anticipated- profits nnd ovon thoroby might cnuso him somo Iobs of profit, it would novor tho less leave him hla lands, tholr product nnd Increase, untouched. and without diminution of title, es nA nr nnnntitv. Ho Would Btlll hnvo largo moaouro of control and lnrgo opportunity to roallzo valuos. Ho might Buffer delay but not depri vation. . The proposed leg islation ' would bo with in tho loglslatlvi powor and would not opornfo na a taking of private proporty for which componsntlon must bo made" Quoted Decision. Tho courts of errors and appeals of New Jorsoy has adopted a similar vlow, which has recently been sus tained by the Bupremo court of the United Stnles. ' In delivering tho opinion of tho court on April C, 1008. Mr. Justice Holraea sald:"Tho stato as quasi-sovereign and repre sentative of tho Interests of. the pub- ii t,a n ntnmllnir In court to pro tect tho atmosphere, tho water, and tho forests within Its territory, Irre spective of the assent or dissent of of private ownors of tho land most immeuiaioiy cuuiumn". It appears, "to ua that few pubic In terests are more obvious, indlsput- abt tthii5IT -rttautrS.i. 110 t astnteu.,.?.01! " aro Who.;:ratt' . . nun n I, . . '! ,,ra8 upon fSrjyki ot the pbi!c welfr. " for U.n ....: Whr Hi , a - KTi's.fl estomnlprweat,," l a stato. nn.l ..' m population.. I!!' ;o of opinion, fBrlH ' Rtltutloniu hn. .. .rh Rlst thai h. ' .M,"fi -srsssa The legal concept;;';' ., :."XhHu nm linnntll. . ' ..w. viua lr0m ...... mlfilit cscnpo a lawyer'i ,? the state Is not required b L oven to an aesthetic w uuuijrina may be IiwW, finds itself In wweHta Jl. admit tobeaRreatpstiitJjJ "'"" ,v " " mr twM, " one n reason for Hi tj. Those decisions reuh n. , tho Idea of conim.iloi 0( j incus in ,me interests ot Mrll pio. I'crorsttai Plunlly, let us remember Ml conservation of our m!wj sources, though the mied i of today, li yet but part of i and greater problem tWck tbJ uon is not yet awake, fot to It will awoke In lnt.ul) which It must hereafter pt;d is to live -tho protlen ol i efficiency, tho patriotic ditr t surlng tho safety anil coatlta tho nation. When the peopled United States consdotily tti to ralso thomseltei aitkuJ tho nntlon and tho lUtei U ti sovernl spheres, to UellgWi of excellence in prlrttc, feti, nntlonnl life, and todofMtt It la tho first ot all the i truo patriotism, then iilwl thon tho future o( this nunllty ami In time, till his IT'S YOUR KIDXITI Don't. .Mistake the due i Ti-oulilod. A WfB Hhottft IlowToCmvTh. Many peoplo nerer stKtt kidneys. If Buffering frosts i weak or nchhiK back they tlMl It Is only a mustotir m whon urinary tronWe sets h ! think It will soon eorredlwU so It la with alltheethtri nf kldnor Jlsordtri. IW I where tho danger He. Tm ' cure theso troubles of W load to dlnbetesor BrttMsi Tim best remedy to u ' irMtinv Pills. It cures ill f" aro caused by weskorj noys. Salon) people tMUif n ninnnnt rlirta. W. 0. Johnston, jrt.' Mill street, Salem, oi ,n, Hm erln a ver M"" i. .....i i iifllUta it !" uur mm j,ij ., i..il.U At 18! I1 fered with pIm la V ,.-.. nH uMm at M i ...Kan 1 urOM.!1! and two and tired rery nfton felt languid ... a nitaeksof 1 .ii. fiuells and oft "TJ . . .... m T4. T" specKS neiui" ' '- , , in .nnpsrsace. T" natural rr v(to,i obtained from Do vm ... nrir BfCAt. C'V . J nuo -.- .., i -...- .!, first MX B'' m heUer bealta M,J time. MjMviSr For " S SIS, , cents, jwiw" -- f.rtk New York, oe,to( States, nemember and take no other- the b-- vr 0tJ . mmtM H The Say'or'- ; nineti-nctlon V0"!- .jtl office. BdSS . " ! fioooj ik7 .Wi.i a. B. Tbow" -- ., at rire?a irincu --v uMf; atora, J. fester1 Urol"" M- nurkholder, sw inter XT. &l IZS Conde w " anv. j rA.