94 
in and leave the less desirable qualities permanently inaccessible, 
and therefore, destroyed, so far as a national asset is concerned. 
Many coal fields have already become worked out and by the most 
reliable computation of the supply yet remaining, anthracite coal 
is believed to be sufficient to last for about fifty years and bitu- 
minous coal tor probably as much longer. Of the coal actually 
extracted from the earth but five per cent, of the potential power 
is made use of. With a more intelligent or less wasteful system 
of mining and an improved process of obtaining a larger pro- 
portion of the energy stored up in this fuel, the existing deposits 
should last much longer than the period now assigned to them. 
In the case of the other natural fuels, oil and gas, much that 
has been said with regard to coal applies, for in these industries 
also the most prodigal waste occurs, and enormous supplies are 
purposely destroyed. 
The mining of iron ore is carried on in the same wasteful 
method as employed for obtaining coal, and large quantities of 
this valuable ore. upon the continuance of whose supply so many 
industries depend, are left forever inaccessible. The waste of the 
by-products from furnaces, which in other countries are turned 
to profitable use, is also responsible for enormous loss, which 
should' be saved to the nation. 
Turning from the unnecessary depletion which the country is 
suffering in respect to the hidden treasures of the earth, we find 
the condition of affairs not less disquieting with regard to the 
national lands themselves. Vast acreages of public domain have 
been wrongfully appropriated by exploiters and have not gone 
to benefit the home builder. In order to insure the best use of 
the national lands from a national standpoint it is indispensable 
that they be divided into small homestead areas cultivated by 
small owners. It is none the less imperative that such homesteads 
pass directly from the government to the people, and that the 
intervention of no speculator or exploiter be allowed to intervene 
to wrest from the tiller of the soil an increment which has not 
been earned. The wrongful appropriation of public lands in the 
past has already greatly impoverished this source of national 
wealth and some efficient means is looked for, not only to check 
such action, but whenever possible to divest speculators of wrong- 
fully obtained tracts. 
At the present rate of consumption a period of thirty-three years 
will see the total disappearance of our useful timber — unless a 
general better order of lumbering be inaugurated. If the forests 
be allowed' to fail, our fourth important industry will pass away, 
the mining of coal, of iron and every ore will become more ex- 
pensive, the railways will be without ties, the watersheds will 
cease to yield their seasonal supply, every agricultural industry 
dependent upon irrigation will be crippled, torrential floods will 
denude and devastate the country, all articles into which wood, 
metal or wood-pulp paper enters, all food stuffs, all cotton and 
