The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-12-05

scientific bureaus generally should be put
under the department OF agriculture me
presitsEt should have oy lAw me p4S 81
Of transferring lands for use as forest re-
serves tn the department Of agriculture:
He already has such power In the csse o.
lands needed by the departments OF VI"
and the navy"
Irrigation IN connection with the waste
lands OF the west Is a question 10 which
the president gives considerable attention.
and makes strong Recommendations tSI
government assistance in retaining tns
waste lands by assisting In then nrlss-
ton and the control OF water rights wher-
ever that is possible. and Of this he says.
In the arid region II Is water. not Land.
which measures production. The western
half Of the United States would sustain
population greater than that OF our whole
country to-day II the waters that now run
to waste were saved and used Tor lrrisA-
ton. The forest and water problems are
perhaps the most vital Internal questions
Of the United States
In cases where natural conditions have
been restored for few years Vegetation
has again esrpeted the ground BIRDS and
deer are coming back, and hundreds OF
persons, especially from the immediate
neighborhood, come each summer 10 enjoy
the privilege OF camping. Some at leaG
OF the forest reserves should anord per,
petual protection TO the native fauna ana
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 md rest health
and recreation In the splendid forests and
hower-clad meadows OF our mountains.
The forest reserves should be set apart
forever for the use and beneht Of our peo-
pie as whole and not sacrificed to the
shortsighted greed 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 iow OF streams and
TO save the flood waters, Their construc-
ton has been conclusively shown TO be an
Undertaking too vast for private EFFORT.
Nor can II be best accomplished by the in
dividual states acting alone. Far-reaching
interstate problems are involved, and the
resources of single states would often be
Inadequate. II is properly national
function, at least in some OF Its features,
II 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 10 make useiul 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-
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 now.
THE reclamation and settlement OF the
| arid lands will enrich every portion or
| our country. Just as the settlement OF the
| Ohio and Mississippi valleys brought pros
| perity TO the Atlantic states, The m
| creased demand for manufactured aru-
| cles will stimulate Industrial production,
while wider home markets and the trade
| of Auio kNil 90 ~ fOnn
| plies and euectuaily prevent western
| competition with eastern agriculture, In
| deed the products or irrigation Will be
| consumed chiefly in upbulding local CEN
| ters OF mni,G and other industries which
would Otherwise not come into existence
| at all. Our eople as whole will proht
| for successful homemaking Is but another
name for the upbui!d.ag oi the nation
| He counssls against attempting TOO much
be
experience on a small plan teach the pos
| sibilities OF greater undertakings. lie also
cites the conditions under which the sat,
| tiers of the west are attempting 10 build
| homes on these arid lands, and says:
| 1.-THE security and value OF tbs homes
| created depend Largely on the stability OF
titles to water, but the majority OF these
| rest on the uncertain foundation OF court
| decisions rendered IL ordinary suits at
| law. With a few creditable exceptions.
| the arid states have JAILED to provide for
the certain ard just division Of streams in
/
| have maze II possible to establish rights
to water In excess Of actual uses or ne
cessities. ard many streams have already
| equivalent to ownership.
| whoever controls stream practically
| controls the land II renders productive, and
the doctrine on private ownership Of water
apart from land canrot prevail without
causing enduring wrong. The recognition
OF such ownership, wh!ch has been per-
mitted to grow up IT the arid regions,
| should give way to "A more. enlightened and
larger recognition OF III" rights Of the pub
lie In the control ara disposal OF the pub
lie water supplies. Laws founded upon
conditions Obtaining IN humid regions
where water j. too abundant TO justify
boarding II. have no proper application in
| a dry country.
I'm the arid .tates the orly r.-ht to water
which should be recocr Il, d is that of use.
In irrigation this riGft should attach to
the land reclaimed .rd be irseparable
rights TO other Van users without
I compensation ~ IT 7Ty!''fC r open TO all
the objectiGrs wE.Cr ~ 20 giving away
perpetual Franchise. 20 The. public utili-
states have already recognized this and
have -irrr-pC----rt.- r. ttyctr CONSTRUCTORS
the doctrine Of perpetual state ownership
| Of water"
| The Colonies.
Considerable attention is given the col
onies, and especially the Philippines. This
section of the message begins by citing
the needs of Hawaii and Porto Rico. OF
which he says:
I'm Hawaii our aim must be to develop
the territory on the traditional American
lines. We do not wish region of large
estates TILED by cheap labor We wish q
healthy American community of men
who themselves till the farms they own
Ali our Legislation for the islands should
be shaped with this end in view. The well
being of the average homemaker must
afford the true test of the healthy devel-
opnent Of the islands. The land policy
| should as nearly as possible be modelled
| on our homestead system"
OF Porto Rico he says the island is thirty.
ing as never before, and is being admins
tered efficisntly and honestly. He deems
no legislation necessary except that CON
He calls attention to the fact that In
Cuba the independent government of the
island will soon be In control, and In the
Of reciprocal trade relations with the new
nation, upon which subject he says:
SIN the case Of Cuba there are weighty
reasons of morality and Of national inter.
est why the policy should be held to have
ly ask your attention to the wisdom, indeed
to the vital need. Of providing for a sub
stantial reduction In the tariff duties OF
Cuba has in her constitution affirmed whai
we desired that she should stand in inter
national matters in closer and more friend
ly relations with US than with any ethel
power, and we are bound BY every consid
Grafton Of honor and expediency to pas,
commercial measures IL the interest Of
her material well being"
For the Philippines he recommends mucl
in the way Of legislation, but again coun
sells caution that we go neither TOO far mo-
with too great haste. He says: I'VE hop,
to make our administration of the ISLANDS
honorable to our nation by making II of tn,
highest benefit 10 the Filipinos themselves
and as an earnest OF what we intend to d,