THE CASE OUTLINED 



What does it mean? 



Just what does it mean this Conservation of Natural Resources? 

 Simply the wise care and use of our forests, our mines, our soil, our 

 streams. These are the fundamental sources of wealth that have been 

 given to us by nature. 



"Why is our country great ? 



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

 our people are stronger or better than the rest of the world? Not at 

 all. Our greatness 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 

 are the wonder of Europe? Whence come the funds to construct the 

 great skyscrapers,, to rebuild ruined cities, to make fleets of warships, 

 transcontinental railroads, inter-oceanic canals and the other titanic 

 undertakings that we are continually carrying out? 



From our storehouse of Natural Resources. 



Our wealth comes from American copper, or wheat, or lumber, or 

 coal, or oil, or gas, or iron ; or from the railroads or ships transporting 

 these materials; or from the utilities of the cities that manufacture 

 these products. The source of all our power, our civilization and our 

 luxury is in the storehouse of our natural wealth. And the natural 

 resources came to the country with so little effort that we have no 

 appreciation of their tremendous value. 



Suppose they were gone? 



But suppose the storehouse was empty that our natural wealth 

 was gone ? W T hat 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 populus 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 busy playing our little games, 

 paying no attention while some of the boys have set the house on fire. 



The Conservation Movement. 



But now an awakening seems to be coming. Its first tangible ap- 

 pearance was a Conference of Governors of the states and territories 

 of the United States at the White House in Washington, presided 

 over by President Roosevelt. Very many of the wisest and ablest men 

 of the United States took part in this Conference statesmen, philoso- 

 phers, captains of industry. The Conference was followed by the 

 formation of a National Conservation Commission, and later by the 

 formation of Conservation Commissions in many of the states. 



