52 Conservation of Natural Resources in California. 



for large reserves of forests, rich soil, a proper water flow, an unim- 

 peded navigation, for fair play all along the line. It all begins with 

 you and me. We have a good country and a good government, but they 

 won't run themselves. The reform of a great many things begins away 

 this side of Washington, District of Columbia. Some of it can begin in 

 the caucus, or the primary, or the forty-acre field. Common-sense and 

 enforced laws now, or the piper to pay after a while which is better? 



At our present nice little industrial gait, here in America, we are 

 burning the candle at both ends, quite regardless of the fact that when 

 it is burnt out, it can never be renewed. Such American fortunes as 

 were made out of theft of America 's common resources must surely, one 

 day and in some way, pay the price. But let us little fellows who have 

 not "succeeded" in the world see to it that we keep our own hands 

 clean. 



This was a very wonderful and beautiful country. Having seen it 

 before civilization took it all over, perhaps, some of us do not care so 

 much for civilization as we might. 



Perhaps some of us would rather be Indians and pray to Chief 

 Mountain, or would rather have been members of the Saurus family, 

 before there was any such thing as taxes and when potato salad was 

 free. Yet here we are, each in his little groove, and, if we have to play 

 the game, we ought to understand the game and know what the game 

 is about. 



At least one truth is, we don't own the soil. We borrow it. We 

 ought to hand it over to the successor of our species in as good condi- 

 tion as when we asked the loan. The Saurus family played the game as 

 fair as that with us; and the finest Sauri in the world were raised right 

 here in the United States. Perhaps they didn't forget the hymns they 

 sang. 



OUR WATER POWER. 



Unquestionably California's greatest asset is her water power. Every 

 year the big, round sun lifts millions of tons from the waters of the 

 Pacific, to be carried eastward. by the winds and sprinkled upon ten 

 thousand hills and valleys in the highlands of the Sierras. Slowly it 

 trickles downward, returning to the sea. It is gathered into rivulets, 

 brooks, torrents, that dash faster and faster down the deep canyons 

 and steep gorges in the western flanks of the mountains. More and 

 more we are learning to use the power of these millions of tons as they 

 descend from highlands to lowlands. This power is destined to be the 

 greatest single element in the future development of the State. It is 



