The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-02

ly the want which the establishment Of
the service has met and the need OF fur
ther extending Il AZ rapidly as possible
II is Justified both by the financial results
and by the practical benefits TO our rural
popuia tion; II brings the men who live
on the soil into close relations with the
active business world; II keeps the farm
er I'm daily touch with the markets: II In
potential educational force; II en-
hances the value OF farm property, makes
farm life far pleasanter and less isolated,
and will do much to check the undesira-
BILE current from country TO city.
II Is TO be hoped that the congress will
make liberal appropriations for the oon-
tinuance OF the service already establish
ed and for its further extension.
NATIONALLY AIDED IRRIGATION.
Few subjects OF more Importance have
been taken up by the congress In recent
years than the Inauguration OF the system
OF nationally aided irrigation for the arid
regions OF the far West. A good beginning
therein has been made. Now that this pol
icy OF national irrigation has been
adopted, the need OF thorough and scien-
tifc forest protection will grow more
rapidly than ever throughout the public
land states.
Legislation should be provided for the
protection OF the game, and the wild
creatures generally. on the forest re-
serves The senselsss slaughter OF game.
which can by Judicious protection be per-
manently preserved on our national re-
serves for the people as a whole. should
be stopped at onoe- It Is, for instance, a
serious count against our national good
sense to permit the present practice OF
butchering of such q stately and beauti-
full creature an the elk for its antiers or
tusls.
So far N they are available for agri-
culture, and to whatever extent they
may be reclaimed under the national irr1-
gation law. the remaining public lands
should be held ris1diy for the home build
er. the settler VINO lives on his land, and
for no one else. In their actual use the
desert land law, the timber and stone
law, and the Communication clause or the
homestead law have been so perverted
from the intention with which they were
enacted as to permit the acquisition OF
large areas Of the public domain for 9TH
er than actual settlers and the conse-
uuent prevention OF settlement Moreover
the approaching exhaustion OF the public
ranges has OF late led to much discussion
as TO the best manner of using these pub
lie lands In the West which are suitable
chiefly or only for grasing The sound
and steady development OF the West de-
pends upon the building up OF homes
therein. Much OF our prosperity as ma
rion has been due to the operation or the
homestead law.
On the other hand we should recognize
the fact that in the grazing region the
man who corresponds TO the homesteader
may be unable TO settle permanently II
only allowed to use the same amount OF
pasture land that his brother, the home
steader. Is allowed to use OF arabic land
One hundred and sixty acres or fairly
rich and well-watered soil. or much
smaller amount OF irrigated land. may
keep a family In plenty, whereas no one
could get a living from one hundred and
sixty acres OF dry pasture land capable
of supporting at the outside only one
head of cattle to every ten acres. In the
past great tracts OF the public domain
have been fenced In by persons having
no title thereto, In direct defiance OF the
law forbidding the maintenance or con-
struction OF any such unlawful fnciosure
of public land. For various reasons there
has been little interference with such in
closures in the past, but ample notice has
now been given the trespassers, and all
the resources at the command OF the gov
ernment will hereafter be used TO put a
stop 10 such trespassing.
In view OF the capital Importance o,
these matters. commend them to the
| earnest consideration OF the congress
| and II the congress finds difficulty ir
dealing with them from lack OF thorough
knowledge OF the subject. I recommend
that provision be made for a commission
OF experts specially TO investigate and
report upon the complicated questions iri-
volved.
tEotsLATioN FOR ALASKA.
especially urge upon the congress the
need OF wise legislation for Alaska. IL II
not to our credit as a nation that Alaska
which has been ours for thirty-nve
years. should stall have as poor system
OF laws as Is the case. No country has a
more valuable possesson-in mineral
Al g,.w- Ex.x. ala
in land available for certain kinds OF
farming and stockgrowing. Ii Is terri
tory of great size and varied resources,
well fitted to support large per-
manent population. Alaska needs q
good land law and such pro-
visions for homesteads and pre-emptions
as will encourage permanent settlement
We should shape legislation with view
not to the exploiting and abandoning G Q,
the territory, but TO the building up n o,
homes therein. The land laws should bt
liberal In type. so as to hold out induce.
ments to the actual settler. whom W.
most desire to see take possession or IN
country The forests of Alaska should
be protected, and. as secondary but
still important matter, the game also
and at the same time IL Is Imperative tha
her. under proper regulations. for theil
own use Laws should be enacted TO pro
| tect the Alaskan salmon fisheries agains
the greed which would destroy W. mem .re,,,
Industry and food supply Their man
agement and control should be turned
| over 10 the commission OF fish and hsh
cries Alaska should have detegate II
| the congress II would be well ~ a con
| gressional committee could visit Alaski
| and Investigate its needs on the ground.
THE INDIANS.
In dealing with the Indians our ain
should be their ultimate absorption int
| the body OF our people But IN man;
| cases this absorption must and snoui'
| be very slow In portions OF the lndiai
| territory the mixture OF blood has gon'
| on AT the same time with progress II
wealth and education, so that there ar
| plenty OF men with varying degrees
| purIty OF Indian blood who are abso
F, iutely indisunguishable In point of social
| political and economic ability from thei
| white associates. There are other tripe
! which have as yet made no perceptibi
| advance toward such equality.
To try TO force such tribes too fast U
10 prevent their going forward at all
| Moreover. the tribes live under widel!
| different conditions. Where tribe ha
| made considerable advance and lives oi
| fertile farming soil IL is possible TO allo
| the members lands In severalty much a