Conservation of Natural Resources in California. 



We have given away the far greater portion of our forests. The far 

 greater portion of the forests we have given away has already been 

 destroyed ; the remainder will have been destroyed within the next fifty 

 years. The reason for this destruction is that more money can be made 

 in a shorter time by destroying than by conserving the forests. More 

 money can also be made in a shorter time by wasting and destroying 

 much of other natural resources oil, gas, coal, etc. 



The greater portion of the forests that we have not given away are 

 being conserved in National Forests. Conserved forests are used by 

 cutting only the ripe trees and permitting new trees to grow in their 

 places. The conserved National Forests will forever furnish lumber to 

 their owners, the people ; they will, also forever, perform the still more 

 important service of protecting from flood and drought our streams and 

 our springs. 



For neither the always-continuing supply of lumber from these con- 

 served forests, nor for their protection forever of our streams, will we be 

 called upon to pay anybody any profits. All the benefits and all the 

 profits will go to the owners of the conserved forests, the men and 

 women of to-day and to-morrow, just as all the profits from the forests 

 we have given away have gone and will go to those to whom we gave 

 them, just as the profits from all property go to those who own it. 



The streams of California will run forever. To take the place of 

 every drop of water that runs away to the ocean the sun pumps another 

 drop up into the mountains. Our streams, which will never run dry, 

 and are necessary to the men and women of to-day, will be doubly 

 necessary to the men and women of to-morrow, who are the boys and 

 girls of to-day. 



Which is the better policy for the men and women of to-day and 

 to-morrow T : to continue to give away the water in our streams, or to 

 keep that which we still own? 



For the privilege of using the water we have already given away or 

 shall give away we shall have to pay always more mojiey and greater 

 profits to those to whom we have given it or shall give it. For the use 

 of the water that we have not given away and do not give away we shall 

 be compelled to. pay nobody any profits its price will be only what it 

 costs us to put it to our uses. That cost, plus profits, we are compelled 

 to pay to private owners of the water. 



It is foolish, of course, for anybody to give anything away and then 

 to pay always more money and greater profits for the privilege of using 

 that which he has given away. It is more foolish to give away that for 

 which we have an important use and then to pay always more money 

 and greater profits for the privilege of using that which we have given 

 away, and to see those things unnecessarily wasted and destroyed in 

 order that the most money may be collected from us in the shortest 



