Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-12-06

scientific bureaus generally should be put
president should have by law tie power
of transferring lands for use as forest re-
serves to the department Of agriculture;
lands needed by the departments of war
and the navy" I
Irrigation IN connection with the waste
lands oil the west is a question 10 wnlch
the president gives considerable attention,
and makes slronS Recommendations ior
government assistance in reciaimIng the
waste lands Dy assisting In their irriga-
ton anu tine control OF water rights Wher-
ever tnat Is possible, ana of tins ne says:
I'm the ARID region 1t Is water, not land,
which measures production. The western
halt of the United States would sustain
population greater than that OF our wnole
country to-uay II the waters that now run
TO waste were saved and used Tor irriga-
ton. The toresI and water problems are
perhaps the most vital internal questions
of the United States
''lu cases where natural conditions have
been restored tor few years vegetation
has again carpeted the ground, birds and
deer are coming back, and hundreds of
persons, especially from the immediate
neighborhood, come each summer TO enjoy
the privilege of camping. Some at least
of the forest reserves should afford per-
petual protection to the native fauna and
flora, safe havens of refuge to our rapidly
diminishing wild animals of the larger
KINDS and free camping grounds for the
ever Increasing numbers OF men and wom-
en- who have learned to find rest, health
and recreation in the splendid forests and
nower-clad meadows of our mountains.
The forest reserves should be set apart
forever for the use and berefit of our peo-
pie as whole and not sacrificed to the
| shortsighted gretd of a few"
THE forests alone cannot, however. fully
| regulate and conserve the waters of the
| arid region. Great storage works are nee
| essary to eQualiZe the flow of streams and
TO save the flood waters; Their construc-
| tion has been conclusively shown to be an
| undertaking too vast for private effort.
| Nor can it be best accomplished by the in
| dividual states acting alone. Far-reachng
| interstate problems are involved, and the
| resources of single states would often be
| inadequate. 1t is properly national
| function, at least in some of its features.
| 1t is as right for the national government
ITO make the streams and rivers of the
| arid region useful by engineering works
| rivers and harbors of the humid region by
| engineering works of another kind. The
| storing of the Hoods in reservoirs at the
| headwaters of our rivers is but an en-
largement of our present policy of river
| control under which levees are built on
] the lower reaches OF the same streams.
| THE government should construct and
| maintain these reservoirs as 1t 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 reclamation and settlement of the
arid lands will enrich every portion oil
our country, just as the settlement OF the
Ohio and Mississippi valleys brought pros
perity to the Atlantic states. The in
creased demand for manufactured artl-
cles will stimulate industrial production
while wider home markets ana the TRADE
of Asia will consume the larger food sup
plies and effectually prevent western
competition with eastern agriculture. IN
deed the products of irrigation Will D'
consumed chiefly in upbuilding local cen
ters of mining and other industries which
would otherwise not come into existence
at ALL our people as a whole VIII pront
for successful homemaking is but another
| far IA
| He counSels against attempting too mucf
| at the beginning, but advises that We lie
| experience on a small plan teach the pos
sibilities of greater undertakings. He als'
cites the conditions under which the SCI
tiers OF the west are attempting 10 pulI'
homes on these arid ianGs, and says:
''The- security and value OF the home
created depend largely on the stab!lity o
titles to water, but the majority OF ines
rest on the uncertain foundation of cour
, decisions rendered In ordinary suits
law. With a few creditable exceptions
the arid states have failed to provide 10 :,
times OF scarcity. Lax and uncertain law
have made 1t possible to establish right
cessities, and many streams have alread
passed into private ownership or coniro
equivalent 10 ownership.
"Whoever controls stream practically
! controls the land It renders productive. an
! | the doctrine of private ownership of waite
apart from land cannot prevail with9u
; of such ownership which has been per
m!tted to grow up in the arid regions
] should give way to a more enlightened an
| larger recognition of the rights OF the pub
lie In the control and disposal Of the pub
: lie water supplies. Laws founded upo
conditions obtaining @ In humid region; 9Is
r boarding it. have no proper application
4 | a dry country.
( sin the arid states the only right TO waite
5 which should be recognized Is that OF use
: In Irrigation this right should attach I
the land reclaimed and be inseparabl
rights to other than users wi,hot
e compensation TO the public is open to a
the objections which apply to giving ava
e ties of the cities. A few OF the wester
n states have already recognized this ar
have incorporated In their constitution
e of water"
: The Colonies.
Considerable attention Is given the co
onies, and especially the Philippines. Th
section of the message begins by ciur
: the needs of Hawaii and Porto Rico,
= which he says:
# 'In Hawaii our aim must be to develc
d the territory on the traditional America
e lines. We do not wish a region of lara
5 estates titled by cheap labor: We wish
IS mfS,''9S Who themselves til the farms they ow W
IS All our legislation for the islands shou
l. be shaped with this end In view. The We
J. afrord the true test of the healthy deve
opment of the islands. The land poli'
h should as nearly as possible be model
d on our homestead system"
y OF Porto Rico he says the island is thri
ing as never before, and Is being admin
~ tered efficiently and honestly. He deer
al no legislation necessary except that CO
t. cernlng the public lands of the island.
c. He calls attention to the fact that
Cuba the Independent government OF 9
island will soon be IN control. and in &
70 same connection urges strongly the ne
10 OF reciprocal trade relations with the ne
d nation upon which subject he says:
IN SIN the case of Cuba there are weigh
reasons OF morality and of national inte
ny est why the policy should be held 10 ha
90 a peculiar application, and most earnef
e " ask your attention to the wisdom !nde
ly to the vital need. of providing for a su
re stantial reduction In the tariff duties
at Cuban imports into the United Statt
er Cuba has in her constitution affirmed VIII
90 we desired that she should stand In int
at national matters in closer and more frlen
IN ~ relations with us than with any 9th
n power, and We are bound by every cons
w erat!on of honor and expediency to pa
ny commercial measures in the interest
r her material well being"
on For the Philippines he recommends mu
b. in the way of legislation, but again cot
-. sells caution that We go neither too far i
IL hac IIac 70 la