The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-12-07


dians themselves.
HOT SPRINGS COMMISSION
In the enrolment OF the bill making ap.
preparations FOR sundry civil expenses, al
the last session of Congress, that portion
which provided for The continuation of the
Hot Springs Commission was omitted. AS
the commission had completed the work OF
taking Testimony on the many conflicting
claims, the suspension OF their aIIOr>, before
determining the rights of claimants, threat.
cned for II time 10 cmbarrass the interests not
only OF the Government but also of II large
number of the citizens Of Hot Springs who
were waiting for final action ON their claims
before beginning contemplated improve
mcntS. In order to prevent serious diff
| hcultlcs which we're apprehended and
at the solicitations of many leading Cit
ZenS OF Hot Spring, and others interested in
the welfare OF the town, the Secretary of the
Interior was authorized TO request the late
! Commissioners To take charge of the records
OF their proceedings, and to perform such
work rs could properly be done 10y them I'M
! der such circumstances, to facilitate the IN.
ture adjudication OF the claims at an early
day, and to preserve the status of the claim
ants until their rights should be finally de.
termined. The late Commissioners complied
with that request and report that the tcst-
! mOny, in all the cases, has been written out
| examined, brlcitd, and SO arranged as to IA
! Ciltatc an early settlement when authorized
! by law. 1t is recommended that the rcuu.
site authority be given at rs early II day in
the session as possible, and that IA fair com
| pensatOn be allowed the late Commissioners,
for the expenses incurred and the labor per
| formed by them since the 25th of June last
TIMBER LANDS.
| invite the attention OF Congress 10 the
la lv nr ~
the Interior with regard to the preservation
of the timber on the public lands Of the
United States. The protection Of the public
property is one of the first duties of the
Government The Department OF the Int
ri0r should, therefore, be enabled by suif
cicnt appropriations to enforce the laws H.
that respect But this matter appears still
more important rs IL question of public econ
omy. The rapid destruction of our forests
is an evil traught with the gravest consc.
quenccs especially in the mountainous dis
trcs, where the rocky slopes, once denuded
Of their trees, will remain 50 forever. There
the injury, once done, cannot be repaired. /
fully concur with the Secretary of the Int
! rior i'll the opinion that for this reason lcgis-
| IatiOn touching the public timber in the
mountainous States and Territories OF the
West should be especially well considered,
| and that existing laws, IN which the dcs,ruC-
! ton Of the forests is not sufficiently guarded
against, should be speedily modified. \
general law concerning this important sub
| jcct appears to me to be a matter of urgent
| public necessity.
AGRICULTURE.
/ From the organization Of the Governments
! the importance of encouraging, 10y all posi-.
! bic means, the increase OF our agriculture
| productions has been acknowledged and
urged upon the attention of Congress and
the people AS The Slrest and rcadiest means
! of increasing our substantial and enduring
| prosperity.
The words of Washington are as applica-
| bic to-day rs when, in his eighth annual
! message, he said 1t i, no, to Ice doubted
| with reference cilncr to Individual or nation
| al welfare, agriculture is Of primary import
ancc In proportion ~ nations advance in
| population and other circumstances Of ma
| turity this truth becomes more apparent,
and renders the cultivation of the soil more
and more an object OF public patronage In
! stltutions for promoting it grow up, support
cd by the public pur@r-and TO what object
can it be dedicated with greater propriety?
Among the means which have been en-
pIoyed to this end, none have been attended
with greater suvyrs> than The establishment
! OF boards, composed Of proper characters
! charged with collecting and diii'using intor
nation, and enabled, by premiums and
small pcCunAry aids. To- encourage and as
sist the spirit OF discovery and Improvement,
this species Of establishment contributing
! GoubIy to the increase Of improvement 10y
stimulating to enterprise and experiment,
| and by drawing to II common center the re
| suits everywhere Of individual skill and ON.
| scrvatiOn, and spreading them thence over
the whole nation. Experience accordingly
hath shown that they are very cheap inslrG-
mcnis OF immense national benefit
! The great prcpondcrancc Of the agricul-
turaI over amy other interest in tbc United
States cnitlc, it to all the consideration
claimed Tor II by Washington. About one
| half of the population of the United STAKES
is engaged in agriculture. The value Of the
agricultural proipcts OF the United States
/ for the year lSiS j. estimated Al $3OO0OOo,-
coo. The exports of agricultural products
! Tor ne year 1871, H. appears from the report
| oi the buicau OF Statistics, were $j24OOO-
eco. The great extent q! our country, with
! its diversity of SOIL and climate, enables
| Us to produce within Our own borders, and
by our OWE labor, not only the ncccSsaricS
| but most of the Injuries HAT are consumed
! in civilized countries Yet, notwithstanding
our advantages of soil. climate and iutcrcom-
! muniCatiun, 1t appears from the statistical
statements in the report at the Commissioner
Of Agriculture. that we import annually from
foreign lands many millions of dollars worth
of agricultural products which could be
| raised in our own country.
Numerous questions arise III thr practice
ot advanced agriculture which can only be
answered by experiments, often costly and
sometimes irui'esS, which are beyond lhC
means OF private individuals, ana are ii just
! and proper charge on the whole nation for
the benefit of the nation. II is good policy,
! especially in times of depression and uncer
tuinty IN other bushes, pursuits with va>i
area of uncultivalcd, and hence unproduC,.
tive territory, wisely opened 70 hnmestead'
settlement, to encourage by every proper
ard legitimate means, the occupation and
tilagc Of the soil The efforts of the Depart
mcnt OF Agriculture tu stimulate old and in
troluce new agricultural industries to i'm
prove the quality and increase the quantity
Of our products Ia determine the value o'|
u,d or establish the importance of new meth