THE NORTH AMERICAN CONSERVATION CONFERENCE 167 



lands by irrigation and of wet lands by order to restore their value, promote 

 drainage is manifest. We therefore settlement and increase the public re- 

 favor the participation of the public to sources. 



secure the complete and economical de- The first requisite for forest or other 

 velopment and use of all water avail- covering which will conserve the rain- 

 able for irrigation and of all lands sus- fall and promote regularity of water 

 ceptible of profitable drainage, in order flow is the retention of the soil upon 

 to ensure the widest possible benefit, watersheds. We therefore favor the 

 Special projects should be considered construction of such artificial works as 

 and developed in connection with a may effect this purpose and the en- 

 general plan for the same watershed, couragement thereof by remission of 

 In the matter of irrigation public an- taxes, Government cooperation or 

 thority should control the headwaters other suitable means, 

 and provide for the construction of 

 storage reservoirs and for the equitable 

 distribution and use of the stored Wg recognize the mineral resources 



as forming the chief basis of industrial 

 progress, and regard their use and con- 



We recognize land as a fundamental servation as essential to the public wel- 



resource, yielding the materials needed fare - The mineral fuels play an mdis- 



for sustaining population, and forming pensable part in our modern civihza- 



the basis of social organization. In- tlon - We favor actlon on the P art of 



crease in the productivity of the soil is each government looking towards re- 



a growing need, and the possession of Auction of the enormous waste m the 



the land by the men who live upon it exploitation of such fuels, and we 



not only promotes such productivity, direct attention to the necessity for an 



but is also the best guarantee of good inventory thereof. Such fuels should 



citizenship. In the interest of the hereafter be disposed of by lease under 



homemaker, we favor regulation of such restrictions or regulations as will 



grazing on public land, the disposal of prevent waste and monopolistic or 



public lands to actual settlers in areas speculative holdings, and supply the 



each sufficient to support a family, and P llbhc at reasonable prices, 

 the subdivision of excessive holdings We beheve that the surface rights 



of agricultural or grazing land, thereby and underground mineral rights in 



preventing monopoly lands should be separately dealt with so 



The preservation of the productivity as to P ermit the surface of the land to 

 of the soil is dependent upon rotation be utlllzed to the fullest extent wrule 

 of crops, fertilization by natural or arti- 

 ficial means, and improved methods in niinerals. 



farm management. The quantity and Regulations should be adopted look- 



qualitv of crops are also dependent m / to , the *\ economica production 



upon the careful selection of seed. We , f coal , and other r ni , ineral f , uel! and 



therefore favor the distribution by Gov- the prolongation of the supply to the 



eminent bureaus of scientific and prac- utmos V We favor also the tetitu- 



tical information on these points, and tlon of water P?y er 1 for steam or . othe ^ 



we urge upon all farmers careful at- P ower Produced by the consumption c 



tention thereto. * ue ^- 



The national importance for grazing Gre at economy in the use of fuel has 



of non-irrigable public lands too dry resulted in the past from the applica- 



for cultivation, and the public loss oc- tion of scientific inventions and the use 



casioned by overgrazing, are generally of improvements in machinery, and 



acknowledged. We therefore favor further progress can be made in the 



Government control of such lands in same direction. We therefore recom- 



