Omaha daily bee., 1883-12-05
THE DAILY BEE. OMAHA. WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 8, 1883

and valuable. At his instance a conven-
ton of those interested in the cattle in
dustry of the country was lately held at
Chicago. The prevalence of pleuro-
pneumonia and other contagious diseases
Of animals was one of the chief topics of
discussion. A committee of the conven-
ton will invite your cooperation in in
vestigating the causes of these diseases
and providing methods for their preven-
ton and cure.
II NEEDS OF ALASKA
I trust that congress will not fail at it's
present session to put Alaska under the
protection of law. It's people have re-
peatedly demonstrated against u ne
glect to afford them the maintenance
and protection expressly guaranteed by
the terms of the treaty whereby that
territory was coded to the United States.
For sixteen years they have pleaded in
vain for that which they should have re-
ceived without the asking. They have
no law for the collection of debts, the
support of education, the conveyance of
property, the administration of estates or
the enforcement of contracts, none in
deed for the punishment of criminals e1-
cept such as offend against certain Gus
toms, m and navigation acts.
The resources of Alaska especially in
fur, mines and lumber are considerable
in extent and capable of large develop
ment, while its geographical situation
is N of political and commercial i'm
portance. The promptings of interest
therefore as we'll as considerations of
honor and good faith demand the imme-
date establishment of civil government
in that territory.
RAILWAY ABUSES.
Complaints have lately been frequent
and urgent that certain corporations,
controlling in whole or in part the facili-
ties for the Interstate carriage of persons
and merchandise upon the great railroads
of the country, have resorted in their
dealings with the public to diverse
measures, unjust and oppressive i'll their
character. In some instances the state
courts have attacked and suppressed
these evils but in others they have
been unable to afford adequate proiec-
ton becauce of the jurisdictional
limitations which are imposed
upon them by the federal corporation.
GOVERNMENT CONTROL.
The question, how far the national
government may lawfully interfere in
the premises, and what, if any, supervis-
ion or control it ought to exercise, is one
which merits your careful consideration.
While we cannot fail TO recognize the
Importance of the vast railway systems
of the country, and their great and bene-
fetal influences upon the development of
our material wealth, we should, on the
other hand, remember that the individ-
ual and no corporation ought to be in
vested with absolute power over of the
interest of other citizens or class Of citi-
| zens.
CONGRESS SHOULD PROTECT H PEOPLE.
The right of the railway corporations
to demand a profitable return upon their
investments and q reasonable freedom
in their regulations must be recognized,
but it seems only just, so far as its con-
stitutional authority will permit, that
congress should protect the people at
large in their Interstate traffic against
acts of injustice which the state govern
ments are powerless to prevent.
FOREST
In my last annual message l called
attention to the necessity Of protecting
by suitable legislation the forests stu
ated upon the public domain. In many
portions Of the west the pursuit of gen
teral agriculture is only mafe practicable
10 the resESSs. to irrigationh while such
iHTsarcr-%auld impossible
without the aid afforded by the forests in
contributing to the regularity and con-
stancy of such supply of water. During
the past year severe suffering and great
loss of property have been occasioned by
profuse floods, followed by periods of
unusually low water in many of the great
rivers of the country. These irregulari-
ties are caused by the removal from about
| the sources of the streams in question,
of the timber by which the water supply
has been nourished and protected.
IMPORTANCE OF THE FORESTS.
The preservation of such portion of
the forest on the national domain as
essentially contributes to the equitable
flow of important water courses, is of the
highest consequence. Important tribu-
taries of the Missouri, the Columbia and
the Saskatchewan rise in the mountains
of Montana, near the northern boundary
of the United States, between the Black
feet and Flathead Indian reservations.
This region is unsuitable for settlement,
but upon the rivers which flow from it
depends in the future the agricultural
development of a vast tract of country.
| The attention of congress is called to the
necessity of Withdrawing from the pub
lie sale this part of the public domain
and establishing there a forest preserve.