Conservation of Natural Resources in California. 



THE CASE OUTLINED. 



What Does It Mean? 



Just what does it mean this Conservation of Natural Resources? 

 Why, it means simply the wise care and use of our forests, our mines, 

 our water, our soil. These are the fundamental sources of wealth that 

 have been given to us by nature. 



Why Are We Great? 



Why is our nation one of the greatest in the world? Is it because 

 we are stronger people, better people than the rest of the world? Not 

 at all. It all rests upon the wonderful, the amazing, natural resources 

 of North America. The great fortunes, the great cities, the great 

 achievements of this nation, past and future, all depend upon our 

 natural resources. 



Where Does Our Money Come From? 



Whence comes the money of the thousands of rich Americans who 

 set all Europe agape? Whence come the funds to construct the great 

 skyscrapers, to rebuild ruined cities, to make fleets of warships, -trans- 

 continental railroads, inter oceanic canals and the other titanic under- 

 takings that we are continually carrying out? 



From Our Natural Storehouses. 



It all comes from American copper, or wheat or lumber or coal or 

 oil or gas or iron ; or from the railroads or ships hauling these things ; 

 or from trading with the people who work in these things ; or from the 

 utilities of the cities that grow upon these things. Everything in all 

 our power and civilization and luxury goes straight back to our natural 

 storehouses of wealth. And we got them so easily that we do not even 

 appreciate them as yet. 



Suppose They Were Gone? 



But suppose these storehouses were gone, or nearly empty? What 

 would American enterprise amount to if it had nothing to exploit? 

 What figure does a poverty-stricken nation cut in the world ? What 

 rich and populous nations in history have not gone down into groveling 

 insignificance by squandering their natural resources? 



Unthinking Babes. 



Up to date we have been careless, heedless children with all our 

 resources, giving them away, destroying them, wasting them with lavish 

 hands, and with no thought of the morrow. He who can destroy most 

 of our public property in the shortest time most excites our childish 

 admiration. We have been busily playing our little games, paying no 

 attention while some of the bovs have set the house afire. 



