The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-04

Wise forest protection does not mean
the withdrawal of forest resources,
contributing their full share to the well
fare Of the people, but, on the contrary.
gives the assurance Of larger and more
certain supplies. 1AK sfHadamental idea
by use. Forest proteGiohis not an end
of itself; it is means to increase and
sustain the resources OF OR country and
the industries which depend upon them.
The preservation of our forests is an inn
perative business neceSsit&
The practical uSefulneSSFbf the national
forest reserves to the mining, grazing, ir-:
rigation and other intere5 SIS Of the regions
widespread demand by the people of the
West for their prOteeti ION and extension.
The forest reserves will inev vitality be of
still greater use in tEssfutHre than in the
past. Additions should be made to them
whenever practicable and their useful
ness should be increased by thoroughly
businesslike management.
The forests are natural reservoirs BY
restraining the streams in flood and re-
plenis1ling them in drought they make
possible the use Of waters otherwise
wasted. They prevent the soil from wash
ing and so protect the storage reservoirs
from filing up with silt. Forest conserva-
ton is therefore an essential condition OF
water conservation.
STORAGE WORKS NECESSARY.
The forests alone cannot, however, fully
regulate and conserve the waters of the
arid region. Great storage works are nee
essary to eaualize the flow of streams and
to save the flood waters. Their conStruc-
ton has been conciusively shown to be an
Undertaking too vast for private effort.
Nor can it be best accomplished by the
individual states acting alone Far-reach-.
ing interstate problems are involved and
the resources of single states would often
be inadequate. It is properly a national
function, at least in some of its features
1t is as right for the national government
to make the streams and rivers of the
arid region useful by engineering works
for water storage as to make useful the
rivers and harbors of the humid region by
engineering works of another kind. The
storing of the floods in reservoirs at the
headWaterS of our rivers is but an en-
iargement of our present policy of river
control under which leyees are built on
the lower reaches of the; same streams
The government should construct and
maintain these reservoirs as it does other
public works. Where their purpose is to
regulate the flow Of streams the water
Should be turned freely into the channels
in the dry season to take the same course
under the same laws as the natural flow.
The pioneer settlers on the arid public
domain chose their homes along streams
from which they could themselves divert
the water to reclaim their holdings Such
opportunities are practically gone. There
remain however, vast areas of public
land which can be made available for
homestead settlement, but only by reser-
voirS and main line canals impracticable
for private enterprise. These irrigation
works should be built by the national
government. The lands reclaimed by
them should be reserved BY the govern
ment for actual settlers. and the cost of
construction should SO far as possible be
repaid by the land reclaimed. The dis
tributfon of the water, the division of the
streams among irrigators, should be left
to the settlers themselves in conform
ity with state laws and without interfer-
h f1OGn "a g = n Kit ta6
rights. The policy of the national gov
,ernment should be to aid irrigation in
the several states and territories in such
manner as will enable the people in the
as will stimulate needed reforms in the
state laws and regulations governing ir-
rigation. ~
The necessary foundation has already
been laid for the inauguration of the poll
cy Just described. It would be unwise to
begin by doing too much, for great deal
will doubtless be learned, both as to what
can and what cannot be safely attempted,
by the early efforts, which must of neces-
sity be partly experimental in character.
At the very beginning the government
should make clear, beyond shadow of
doubt, its intention to pursue this policy
on lines of the broadest public interest.
No reservoir or canal should ever be
built to satisfy selfish personal or local
interests, but only in accordance with the
advice of trained experts after long in
all the condition combine to make the
work most needed and .fraught with the
greatest usefulness to the community as
a whole. There should be no extrava-
gance, and the believers in the need of
irrigation will most benefit their. cause
by seeing to it that lit Is free from the
least faint of excessive or reckless: eX-
I pendituresof the public moneys.
Our aim should be not simply to reclaim
/ the largest area of land and provide
homes for the largest number of people,
but to create for this new industry the
best possible social and industrial condi-
| items, and this requires that we not only
understand the existing situation but
| avail ourselves of the best experience of
| the time in the solution of its problems.
| A careful study should be made both by
the nation and the states of the irriga-
ton laws and conditions here and abroad.
| Ultimately it will probably be necessary
| for the nation to cooperate with the sew
eral arid states in proportion as these
states by their legislation and admins
tration show themselves fit to receive it.
HAWAII AND PORTO RICO.
In Hawaii our aim must be to develop
the territory on the traditional American
| lines. We do not wish a region of large
estates titled by cheap labor: We wish a
| healthy American community of men
who themselves till the farms they own.
Ali our legislation for the Islands should
be shaped with this end n view. The well
being of the average hpnemaker must
| afford the true test of the healthy devel-
opment of the islands. The land policy
| should as nearly as possible be modelled
Oh our homestead system.
/ 1t is a pleasure to say that it is hardly
! more necessary to report as to Porto Rico
! than as to any state, or territory within
I our continental limitssi The island is
thriving as never befoEe,s and it is being
administered efficiently and honestly It's
people are now enjoying liberty and order
under the protection of the United States
and upon this fact we congratulate them
and ourselves. Their material welfare
must be as carefully and jeal ously consid-
cred as the welfare of ANY other portion
of our country. We have given them the
great gift of free access for their prod
uets to the markets of the United States
/ / ask the attention of the congress to
! the need of legislation concerning the
public lands of Porto Rico.
CUBA AND THE PHILIPPINES.
In Cuba such progress has been made
toward putting the Independent govern
ment of the island upon a firm footing
| that before the present session of the
/ congress closes this will be an accom-
| plished fact. Cuba will then start as her
own mistress, and to the. eautifuls Queen
| of the Antilles as she unfolds the new
| page of her destiny we extend our
heartiest greetings and good wishes. Else
where 1 have discussed the question of
| reciprocity. In the case of Cuba, how
/ ever, there are weighty reasons of moral
lty and OF national interest why the poll
| icy should be held to have a peculiar ap-
| p1ication, and most. earnestly ask your
attention to the wisdom, indeed, to the
! vital need of providing for substantial
reduction in the tariff duties on Cuban
| imports into the United States Cuba has
in her constitution affirmed what we de-
sired, that she should stand in interna-
| tional matters in closer and more friend
| ly relations with us than with any
| other power, and we are bound by every
| consideration hopor AVpadipupx,
! to pass commercial measures in the inter
| est of her material well being.
In the Philippines our problem is larger
Trey are very rich tropical islands, in