Gloucester County Democrat., 1901-12-05

should be made responsive to the demands
of our domestic trade and commerce
The collections from duties on imports
and internal taxes continue to exceed the
ordinary expenditures of the government,
thanks mainly to the reduced army ex-
penditures. The utmost care should be
taken not to reduce the revenues SO that
there will be any possibility of a deficit,
but after providing against any such con-
tingency means should be adopted which
will bring the revenues more nearly with
in the limit of our actual needs. In his re-
port to the congress the secretary of the
treasury considers all these questions at
length, and ask your attention to the re-
port and recommends tions
1 call special attention to the need of
strict economy in expenditures. The fact
that our national needs forbid us to be
niggardly in providing whatever Is actu-
ally necessary to our well being should
make us doubly careful to husband our
national resources as each of US husbands
his private resources by scrupulous avoid
ance of anything like wasteful or reckless
expenditure. Only by avoidance of spend
ing money on what is needless or unjusti-
fable can we legitimately keep our in
come to the point required to meet our
needs that are genuine
The Interstate Commerce Law.
In 1887 a measure was enacted for the
regulation of interstate railways, COM
monty known as the interstate commerce
act The cardinal provisions of that act
were that railway rates should be just
and reasonable and that all shippers, To-
calities and commodities should be ac-
corded equal treatment A commission
was created and endowed with what were
supposed to be the necessary powers to
execute the provisions of this act.
That law was largely experiment.
Experience has shown the wisdom of it's
purposes, but has also shown possibly
that some of its requirements are wrong.
certainly that the means devised for the
enforcement of it's provisions are defec-
tive. Those who complain of the manage
ment of the railways allege that estab-
lished rates are not maintained, that re-
bates and similar devices are habitually
resorted to- that these preferences are
usually in favor of the large shipper. that
they drive out of business the smaller
competitor that while many rates are too
low many others are excessive and that
gross preferences are made affecting both
localities and commodities. Upon the 9TH
er hand, the railways assert that the law
by its very terms tends to produce many
of these illegal practices by deprving car
riers of that right of concerted action
which they claim Is necessary to estab-
lish and maintain nondiscrmine*ing rates,
The act should be amended. The rail-
way is a public servant. Its rates should
be just to and open to all shippers alike
The government should see to it that
within its jurisdiction this is so and
should provide speedy, inexpensive and
effective remedy to that end. At the same
time 1t must not be forgotten that our
railways are the arteries through which
the commercial lifeblood of this nation
flows. Nothing could be more foolish than
he <,f1 el1&s
unnecessarily interfere with the develop
ment and operation of these commercial
agencies. The subject is one of great i'm
portance and calls for the earnest atten-
ton of the congress.
Agriculture.
The department. of agriculture during
the past fifteen years has steadily broad
ened its work on economic lines and
has accomplished results of real value in
upbuilding domestic and foreign trade
1t has gone into new fields until 1t is now
in touch with all sections of our country
and with two of the island groups that
have lately come under our jurisdiction
whose people must look to agriculture as
livelihood. 1t is searching the world for
grains. grasses, fruits and vegetables spe-
cially fitted for Introduction into locali-
ties in the several states and territories
where they may add materially to our re-
sources. By scientific attention to soil sur
vey and possible new crops. to breeding of
new varieties of plants, to experimental
shipments, to animal industry and applied
chemistry, very practical aid has been
given our farming and stock growing in
terests The products of the farm have
taken an unprecedented place in our ex-
port trade during the year that has just
closed.
Protection of Forest Reserves
Public opinion throughout the United
States has moved steadily toward a Just
appreciation of the value of forests,
whether planted or of natural growth.
The great part played by them in the Gre
alton and maintenance of the national
wealth is now more fully realized than
ever before
Wise forest protection does not mean
the withdrawal of forest resources,
whether of wood water or grass from
contributing their full share to the well
fare of the people, but. on the contrary,
gives the assurance of larger and more
certain supplies The fundamental idea
of forestry is the perpetuation of forests
by use. Forest protection is not end
of itself; 1t is a means to increase and
sustain the resources of our country and
the industries which depend upon them.
The preservation of our forests is an i'm
perative business necessity. We have
come to see clearly that whatever de-
stroys the forest except to make way for
agriculture threatens our we'll being.
The practical usefulness of the national
forest reserves to the mining. grazing, ir-
rigation and other interests of the regions
in which the reserves lie has led to a
widespread demand by the people of the
west for their protection and extension.
The forest reserves will inevitably be of
still greater use in the future than in the
past. Additions should be made to them
whenever practicable and their useful
ness should be increased by a thoroughly
businesslike management.
At present the protection Of the forest
reserves rests with the general land Office,
the mapping and description of their tim
Der with the United States geological sur
vey and the preparation of plans for their
conservative use with the burteau of for
estry. which is also charged with the gen.
eral advancement of practical forestry in
the United States These various func-
tions should be united in the bureau of
forestry, to which they properly belong.
The present diffusion of responsibility is
bad from every standpoint. 1t prevents
that effective cooperation between the
government and the men who utilize the
resources of the reserves without which
the interests of both must suffer. The
scientific bureaus generally should be put
under the department of agriculture The
president should have by law the power
of transferring lands for use as forest re-
serves to the department of agriculture.
He already has such power in the case of
lands needed by the departments of war
and the navy.
Continued on 4th Page.