Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-12-09

maiden of protection our first duty is to
see that the protection granted by the
J;rin in every case where 1t IS needed Is
maintained, and that reciprocity be sought
for so far as it can safely be done without
niury to our home industries. Just how
II this is must be determined according to
ne individual case, remembering always
lat every application of our tariff policy
, meet shifting national needs must
e conditioned upon the cardinal fact that
lie duties must never be reduced below
he point that will cover the difference be-
tween the labor cost here and abroad. The
wel-0eing of the Wage-wOrker is q prime
consideration of our entire policy OF eco
nomic legislation. Subject to this proviso
Of the proper protection necessary to our
Industrial well-being at home. the princi-
pie of reciprocity must command our
hearty support. The natural line Of de-
velopment for a policy of reciprocity will
be in connection with those Of our prOduc-
tions which no longer require all of the
support once needed to establish them upon
a sound basis, and with those others where
either because of natural or of economic
causes we are beyond the reach of success
full competition
MERCHANT MARINE.
The condition of the American merchant
marine is such as to call for immediate
remedial action by the congress. 1t is dis
creditabIe to us as nation that our mer-
chant marine should be utterly insignifi-
cant in comparison to that of other nations
which we overtOp in other forms Of bust
ness We should not longer submit to con-
ditions under which only a trit1ing portion
of our great commerce is carried in our
own ships. TO remedy this state of things
| would not merely serve to build up our
| shipping interests, but it would also result
| in benefit to all who are interested in the
| permanent establishment of wider mar
| ket for American products, and would pro-
| vide an auxiliary force for the navy. Ships
work for their own countries just as rail
| roads work for their terminal points Ship
( nj tn
| countries VIZ which we have dealings,
| would be Of political as well as commercial
benefit. From every standpoint it is I'M
wise for the United States to continue to
rely upon the ships of competing nations
for the distribution of our goods. 1t should
be made advantageous to carry American
goods in American ps.
At present American shipping is under
certain great disadvantages wnen put in
competition with the shipping of foreign
countries. Many of the fast foreign steam
ships, at speed of IA knots or above, are
subsidized; and all our ships, sailing YES
sells and steamers alike. cargo carriers of
slow speed and mail carriers of high speed.
have to meet the fact that the original cost
of building American ships is greater than
is the case abroad; that the wages paid
American officers and seamen are very
much higher than those ne ot1cers
and seamen of foreign competing coun-
tries: and that the standard of living on
our ships is far superior to the standard
of living on the ships of our commercial
rivals. Our government should take Such
action as will remedy these inequalities.
The American merchant marine should be
restored to the ocean.
The gold standard is endorsed and econ
omy is urged but it is suggested that 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 contingency, means should be adopted
which will bring the revenues more nearly
within the limit of our actual needs.
The interstate railway act should be
amended, says the president. The railway
is public servant. Its rates should be just
to and open to all shippers alike. The gov
eminent should see to it that within its
jurisdiction this is so and should provide a
speedy, inexpensive and effective remedy to
that emo.
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
The department Of agriculture has stead
lily broadened it's work on economic lines,
and has accomplished results o. real value
in upbuilding domestic and foreign trade.
1t has gone into new fields until it 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 a
livelihood. 1t is searching the world for
grains, grasses fruits, and vegetables spe-
cially fitted for introduction into localities
in the several states and territories where
they may add materially to our resources.
BY scientific attention TO soil survey and
possible new crops to breeding Of new va
rieties of plants, to experimental SHIP
ments to animal industry and applied
chemistry, very practical aid has been
given our farming and stock growing IN
terests. 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 creation
and maintenance of the national Wealth Is
now more fully realized than ever before.
WI
withdrawal of forest resources, whether OF
wood, water, or grass, from contributing
their full share to the welfare OF the peo-
pie, but, on the contrary, gives the assur-
ance of larger and more certain supplies.
The fundamental idea of forestry is the
perpetuation of forests by use. Forest pro-
lection is not an 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 imperative business neces-
sity. The president should have by law
the power of transferring lands for use as
forest reserves to the department of agrt-
culture The forest and water problems
are perhaps the most vital internal ques-
lions Of the United States, declared MI
Roosevelt.
The forests are natural reservoirs. BY
restraining the streams in flood and re-
plenishing them in drought they make pos
sible the use of waters otherwise wasted
They prevent the soil from washing, and
so protect the storage RESERVOIRS from III
ing up with silt. Forest conservation IS
therefore an essential condition of water
con servation. The forests alone cannot,
however fully regulate and conserve the
waters of the arid region Great storage
works are necessary to cqualize the flow OIL
streams and to save the flood waters. Their
construction has been conclusiyely shown
to be an undertaking too vast for private
effort Nor can it be best accomplished by
the individual states acting alone. Far
reaching interstate problems are involved;
and the resources of single states would
often be inadequate. 1t is as right for the
national government to make the streams
and rivers of the arid region useful by en-
cheering works for water storage as to
make useful the rivers and harbors of the
humid region by engineering works of an
other kind. The storing of. the floods in
reservoirs at the headwaters of our rivers
is but an enlargement of our present pol
icy 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 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 reclamation of the unsettled arid
nuhlic lands presents q different problem