Conservation of Natural Resources in California. 11 



sources from which come directly or indirectly the livelihood of all 

 of ns. The conservation of our natural resources is a question of 

 fundamental importance to the United States now. 



The truth is that the overwhelming necessity for our doing something 

 to conserve our natural resources is going to put us to a new test of the 

 practical character of our system of government. It is going to involve 

 the question. of whether, with the changing conditions, with the closer 

 relations and the interdependence of the various parts of this country, 

 our National Constitution will furnish the means of meeting that neces- 

 sity. Now, I have no doubt that it will. ' ' 



WM. H. TAFT. 



A Famous Churchman. 



"No policy of our National Government is more in keeping with 

 those democratic principles upon which our Republic is founded than 

 the conservation of our natural resources, and none is to have a greater 

 influence upon the future prosperity of our land. Our fertile soils, 

 our inland waters, our mines, and our forests are God-given heritages 

 which belong no more to the present generation than to generations 

 that are to come. It is our duty as American citizens to regard these 

 resources as sacred trusts, to preserve them, and to use them wisely 

 and with moderation, that we may, as far as possible, provide against 

 the days of want that are surely approaching; and that when these 

 days are at hand they may not come as a crushing retribution, but as 

 a wholesome discipline by which we shall be taught the great lessons 

 of thrift and foresight." 



CARDINAL GIBBONS. 



The Great Commoner. 



1 ' It should be our purpose, not only to preserve the nation 's resources 

 for future generations by reducing waste to a minimum ; we should see 

 to it that a few of the people do not monopolize that which in equity is 

 the property of all the people. The earth belongs to each generation, 

 and it is as criminal to fetter future generations with perpetual fran- 

 chises, making the multitude servants to a favored faction of the popu- 

 lation, as it would be to impair, unnecessarily, the common store. 



Money spent in care for the life and health of the people, in pro- 

 tecting the soil from erosion and from exhaustion, in preventing waste 

 in the use of minerals of limited supply, in the reclamation of deserts 

 and swamps, and in the preservation of forests still remaining and 

 the planting of denuded tracts money invested in these and in the 

 development of waterways and in the deepening of harbors is an 



