6o 
results  will  rank  as  by  far  the  most  useful  statement  of  natural 
resources  ever  prepared  in  any  country.  Each  bureau,  without 
relaxing  its  regular  work,  has  collected  and  summarized  the 
results  of  its  past  work,  and  has  contributed  them  to  the  Com- 
mission. 
I desire  to  make  special  acknowledgment  to  the  men  who 
have  so  cheerfully  and  successfully  accepted  and  carried  out 
this  additional  task.  They  have  rendered  a real  service  to  the 
whole  nation  at  a cost  of  great  personal  sacrifice  of  time  and 
effort  to  themselves.  And  the  best  of  it  all  was  the  admirable 
spirit  of  cooperation  which  characterized  the  whole  work.  I 
am  especially  .glad  to  welcome  the  cooperation  of  the  States, 
through  their  conservation  commissions  and  otherwise.  Without 
it  the  great  task  of  perpetuating  the  national  welfare  would 
succeed  with  difficulty.  If  States  and  nation  work  for  it  to- 
gether, all  in  their  several  fields,  and  all  joining  heartily  where 
the  field  is  common,  we  are  certain  of  successive  advance. 
EFFECT  OF  NATIONAL  IMPROVIDENCE. 
No  right-minded  citizen  would  stop  the  proper  use  of  our 
resources ; but  every  good  American  must  realize  that  national 
improvidence  follows  the  same  course  and  leads  to  the  same 
end  as  personal  improvidence,  and  that  needless  waste  must 
stop.  The  time  to  deride  or  neglect  the  statements  of  experts 
and  teaching  of  the  facts,  has  gone  by.  The  time  to  act  on  what 
we  know  has  arrived.  Common  prudence,  common  sense,  and 
common  business  principles  are  applicable  to  national  affairs, 
just  as  they  are  to  private  affairs,  and  the  time  has  come  to  use 
them  in  dealing  with  the  foundations  of  our  prosperity. 
Now  I do  not  believe  in  hysteria  or  sensationalism  in  the 
press  or  anywhere  else.  I would  not  grow  hysterical  or  sensa- 
tional in  describing  our  condition,  but  neither  must  we  allow 
a false  security  based  on  conditions  long  since  passed  away  to 
blind  us  or  prevent  us  from  seeing  facts  and  applying  common 
sense  to  the  situation  they  disclose.  The  purpose  of  the  in- 
ventory was  to  give  the  facts — not  to  create  an  alarm — but  to 
take  stock  of  what  we  have,  and  so  to  lead  to  the  necessary 
action  for  its  preservation  and  increase. 
INTER-RELATION  OF  OUR  RESOURCES. 
Our  natural  resources  are  so  related  that  the  use  of  one  affects 
the  use  of  all  others.  This  is  especially  true  of  our  waterways. 
Every  man,  woman  and  child  within  our  borders  has  an  in- 
terest in  them,  through  navigation,  power,  irrigation  or  water 
supply — or  through  all  four.  We  have  neglected  our  water- 
ways more  than  any  other  natural  resources,  and  we  must  put 
an  end  to  that  neglect.  The  Inland  Waterways  Commission 
has  told  us  how. 
