The Globe-republican., 1900-12-13
OBSERVATIONS ON THE WAY

DEFERRED NOTES BY THE EDITOR
Self-preservation is tue first law of
mature. and man may be tardy in carry
ing out this principle, but when self-in-
1eresU demands snis attention he is not
slow to push measures that will innure to
benefits needed. The dreuthy conditions
which prevail ever where. during some
seasons, are serious, and each year some
localities find increasing drouthiness.
Attention is naturally drawn to the causes
which produce these abnormal climatic
reverses, and the Missouri farmer, with
his short corn crop, is not aYerse in con-
sidering the probabilities of congressional
action in the redemption of arid lands
and preservation of forests, a means of
maintaining the water supply. Conse-
quently, the meeting of the National r.
rigation Congress at Chicago, and its
probable influence on legislation, is not
without hope TO the farmer, who yearly
sees the probable diminishing of the rain
supply.
The ruthless devastation of the timber
belts of the country, is drawing the at
tention of our government, with pro-
posed remedy in the preservation of the
forests, in plan by which private own
ers of timber lands may cut timber with
out forest destruction. Allied to forest
preservation is the proposition to store
Storage reservoirs will be valuable auxil-
larIes in irrigation districts, and the states
contiguous to these water storages will
also benefited. Missouri farmers readily
perceive the utility of the proposed meth
cd to store the water and preserve the
forests in the probable benefits that will
AccGre to their lands.
1t will require ten years to consummate
the plan of redemption of arid lands in
the construction of reservoirs and other
means incident to water preservation;
but delay cannot be much longer desired.
SURVEYS of the water systems and con-
gressional action will be necessarily slow,
bat the coming generation can view the
probable action with degree of hope
that ultimately the country will be re-
deemed from the disaster which threatens
1t by drouths.
1t is true that individuals are urging
the reclamation of arid lands by state
action, but the States are not financially
able to carry on such great enterprises.
Besides uniformity of purpose and plan
is necessary to carry out successfully and
eNpeditiously what promises to be the
most gigantic enterprise ever undertaken
ia this country.
Now that the proposed irrigation enter
prise has an influence in wider scope
than the countries TO be Immediately ben
edited, there will come little or no oppo-
sition TO whatever measure may seem the
most feasible. The people of the United
States understand the necessity of imme-
diate action in the preservation and Guilt
walton of forests and the storage of the
vast water supplies in the west. The
yearly waste of water in the west con-
served for the purpose of irrigation of
arid lands will find its reflex in the reno
val from 1.-THE drOuth stricken states the
threatening danger to crops almost year
~ So this scheme is not alone for the
purpose of aiding the arid countries, but
The entire commonwealth as we'll.
Along with this subject of storing the
water waste and forest preservation will